Last week, Travis and I decided to go for an afternoon walk around our neighborhood. Like most of those around us, we had been working from home in the midst of COVID-19. But somewhere along the way, we realized that we had not even stepped foot out from our apartment. As I walked into the warm sunlight radiating from the Florida sky, I began to feel my skin immediately react. Instantly I felt a fog lifting from my head, and it began to dawn on me that I had spent days indoors and had lost my sense of need for the life-giving source of the sun.
I needed a reminder of how the sun serves as a life source for all living things, including our bodies. Which got me thinking, how often do we fail to acknowledge our Heavenly Father as the source of every facet of our lives until we've neglected Him indefinitely? I have found myself having to repent of losing sight of my Savior amid this season of uncertainty, as it has produced a sense of anxiousness and fear in my heart at times.
In Isaiah 43:1, God declares to Israel, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."
What a joy and sense of peace there is when we realize that the same promise spoken to Israel in ancient times, is true for us today. The Lord is our keeper, and in Him, there is no fear in life. If He is our source of sustenance, comfort, and wisdom throughout every season, we will walk in the freedom that only the Triune God provides.
As we walk through Holy Week, it would be worth it to spend some time reflecting. How have we lost sight of our need for our Lord? Do we thirst for the ever-living God as we thirst for information and relief in this age of confusion? Psalm 42:1-2 says, "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul longs for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" As the Psalmist declares his desire for the presence of his Lord, we, too, need to drink from the Fount of all peace, power, and wisdom.
In a time such as this, with our schedules thrown off and routines conflicting, it can be challenging to carve out any extra time for quieting our hearts, let alone sitting down and studying the Bible extensively. So how can we come and appear before the Lord? We may find ourselves waking earlier than usual to spend time in prayer. We might consider incorporating a liturgical prayer into our morning coffee routine. At the Stone Table, we have found Douglas Kaine McKinney's book "Every Moment Holy" extremely useful, and have created a podcast episode to study "A Liturgy For Moments of Emergency." We may need to gather our families for a time of worship, surrounding an acoustic guitar or a curated worship playlist developed by Bay Life Resources. If you find yourself unable to find the time, you might need to pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you how you can best connect with Him, as you lean on Him for wisdom and guidance.
Now, more than ever, may we cry out and turn to the One who is with us through the end of the age.
May we focus our eyes, hearts, and minds, on the Sovereign God who will sustain us, never leaving nor forsaking those who call Him Father.