This morning as I was quietly meditating, Jesus came up to me in my mind and held my hand. He said to me, "I've got a hold of you." He then took His finger and made the sign of the cross between my eyebrows and on the bridge of my nose, saying, "Fear not." I told Him I do not feel His presence with me lately and He responded with a question for me....."What are you welcoming into your home?" I knew exactly where He was going....
I won't go into detail again, but since I was a young child circumstances kept me feeling unsafe so being safe became mighty important to me. To the extreme. I also wrestled with the need to stay alert and informed because information is knowledge and I believed that knowledge kept me safe. It is not completely faulty thinking but God has to stay in the middle of the equation.
So, here we are in a pandemic that is at this time turning our world, our corner of the world upside down. Like many of you, I have had a hard time staying away from the news.......on TV especially, but also on Facebook where every scroll down the page is filled with headlines. Granted there are many things that are positive and helpful too, but my eyes were drawn to what was written in the bold print. And lets not forget those daily press conferences on TV that are filled with mixed messages. As the numbers of cases and deaths rise it is hard to stay calm. I try to balance it out with remembering and focusing on our Lord and His Word and HIS promises, but often anxiety is sneaky, and becomes my unwelcome companion.
I confess I have not been doing a very good job of keeping the balance I spoke of. Today Jesus let me know. And when Jesus asks you, "What are you welcoming into your home?" I know I better pay attention. He knows me so well. He knows my inbuilt need to be safe, to be informed, to be alert......and He knows how poorly my body responds to stress after the past 18 months. In His infinite love and patience He let me know fear is not my friend. He reminded me to keep my home a place of peace and healing. He truly knows us all well, and wants what is best for us.
Recently I heard one pastor talk about a difficult circumstance in His life and how he asked the Heavens, "Do the three of you (the Trinity) get together to discuss things up there?" The present pandemic feels a little like that doesn't it?! Do you see what is going on here Papa, Jesus, Holy? Are the Three of you having a conversation about this?
With no room for theological discussion, I will insert here that in no way, shape, or form do we believe God caused this to punish His creation. Nope. Jesus came and redeemed our sins. He suffered and died for us. He IS the new covenant.
Today a long time friend called and shared some news that is turning their world upside down in the midst of this already topsy-turvey universe. She shared a quote that she is holding on to. "God feeds our faith and starves our fears. When we turn to the One, our Papa God gives us a Peace that is not like any other. His Word feeds our faith and His peace starves our fears.
Before God spoke to me, I was "limiting" myself to news 3x a day because things were changing so quickly. And then there was Facebook.........and............and............. Don't get me wrong, we need to have some understanding of what is going on in our world, but to be awash with the latest and the worst is going to take a toll on all of us. For many of us, our need to feed ourselves Co-Vid 19 information will cause us harm if we let it. Somehow friends we have to find a balance in this topsy-turvy world. Jesus reminded me of this. We all need to make a decision to let God feed our faith and starve our fears. That will look different for each of us. People are stepping up and reaching out. Just look at things people have placed on social media will make us laugh, smile, and encourage us to respond with hope. Let us feed our souls. Jesus is waiting to do that for us as our Friend, Protector, Encourager, Healer, Savior. Shalom, friends. Shalom.
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