Be the Church amid COVID-19
My eyes run down with streams of water because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. My eyes pour down unceasingly, without stopping, until the Lord looks down and sees from heaven. My eyes bring pain to my soul because of all the daughters of my city. My enemies without cause hunted me down like a bird; they have silenced me in the pit and have placed a stone on me. Waters flowed over my head; I said, “I am cut off!” I called on Your name, O Lord out of the lowest pit. You have heard my voice, “Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief, from my cry for help.” You drew near when I called on You; You said, “Do not fear!” O Lord, You have pleaded my soul’s cause; You have redeemed my life.
Lamentations 3: 48–58
Walking into our local grocery store this week, my eyes were overwhelmed with what I saw. I saw the “daughters of my city” caught in a panic. Meat and produce were picked clean and a roll of toilet paper or paper towels could not be found for miles. While my city had not been destroyed in the same sense Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C. the people of my city felt the waters of circumstance flowing over their heads, and fear began to run wild.
Uncertainty tends to stroke the flames of fear in each of us. As we watch the number of infections of COVID-19 rise globally and the price of oil drop rapidly, uncertainty about the future may cause us to feel as though the waters are rising around us and stones are weighing us down. It is in these times we may even be tempted to question our faith, and ask God, “why?”
The truth is, we do not know why this current situation is happening. We do not know when it will end or if we will be impacted. However, what we can be sure about is that God our Father is there for us. He desires for us to call out to Him and He desires to hold us close in love and comfort. He hears our cries, and knows the anxieties of our heart. He is a good good Father.
My brothers and sisters at ExxonMobil, do not fear. As the waters rise, and the wind blows, Jesus is there in the midst of the storm. I would encourage you during this time of fear to spend intentional, uninterrupted, deep time with Jesus. Spend time in prayer, time in scripture. Facetime with your small groups at church and encourage each other. When fear is on the rise, the light of Jesus, and His church has the power to drown out fear. Let’s be the Church to each other, and let’s be the Church to our community.
If any of you need prayer, or just someone to talk to, we invite you to contact us through our prayer page. Stay safe, healthy, and do not fear; we love you. – The CCEM Team.