From the Desk of Pastor Doug
So, you have been locked down now for several weeks. So much time. So much time to sit and think and wonder and worry and stress out. But I have heard some people who just cannot abide with sitting, thinking, wondering, worrying, and stressing out, so they have decided that they are going to be doing something productive with all this down time. I heard someone say they were coming out this thing with a solid six pack of abs. I heard someone mention they thought they would learn how to sew and someone else thought they might learn how to crochet. I even heard rumor that there are going to be people who come out of the lock down speaking a brand-new language. Honestly, at this point, I hope to come out of it speaking English, interspersed with occasional grunts and whistles. If I can manage that, I believe it would not take long, being out and around, to get the hang of talking normally. I am certain that I will only speak English, with a smattering of Mrs. Lewis’s Spanish classes sneaking in. I could throw a little Old Testament Hebrew or New Testament Greek in, but both are dead languages and usually only read. Truthfully, I would love to speak more than Sikeston, MO English, but the same thick skull that does not soak up math, does not soak up language either. I believe those things may be connected, but I do not know. I digress. Back to the point. What if everyone did something to better themselves during this time. I mean, what if we all came out of this as better people than we were when we started it? I think that is sort of a call that we have on us. Not to be better after the Corona Virus quarantine, but to be better day by day. I admire anyone who might come out of the quarantine fluent in Mandarin or Cantonese, but the focus on our lives should be day by day.
Ephesians 5, says:
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you get that? If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we become better people. Because according to vs. 17 we will begin to understand what the Lord has for us and his desire is for us to grow. He longs for us to be more like him and that is an improvement that everyone can use. Listen, no offense intended, but if you are more like Jesus tomorrow, you are better than you were today. So far as I’m concerned, second languages are great but being Godlier is better. Getting into good physical shape is good but being in good spiritual shape is better. You know, based on that fact that at some point the physical is going to die anyway and the part that makes us Godlier will be with us into eternity. Here is what I think. Do your ab work, but then, allow the Holy Spirit to do what He needs. Be intentional about your spiritual growth. You cannot be in spiritual shape by accident any more than I am going to wake up with a six pack in the morning. Let God be God in your life. Let Him be your compass, your anchor, your everything. Let every day, quarantine or not, be your God day.