April 24, 2020
Has this quarantine really been going on for 40 days and 40 nights? No wonder I feel like Noah. I’ve been trapped on this ark with a bunch of animals and the same people (people I love) for nearly 6 weeks. Actually, it rained for 40 days and nights but Noah and his family spent over a year on the ark. Luckily the ark was 1/3 the size of the Titanic. My house is quite a bit smaller than that but I also only have dogs and cats. No bears, elephants or (thankfully) snakes. Noah also did not have Netflix and he didn’t have to do Zoom meetings. (Hello...there was no one to Zoom with...) But, ironically, on this 40th day of our quarantine some of the restrictions are beginning to be lifted. The county judge is “sending out a dove” to see if it’s time to unload the quarantine ark. I’m hopeful that people will follow the guidelines as we cautiously begin to get back some of the things we’ve been missing. Although it will feel nice to have the firm ground of a Target store beneath my feet some day, I do not think I’m ready to venture out yet. I will wait and watch, to see what the newest normal looks like. I’m a cautious person. Just ask my kids. But no matter how cautious or proactive we are, there is no way to predict or prepare for some of the things that come our way in this life. As they say, “All we can do is hope and pray.” I believe that is enough. So I hope and pray that life can return to “normal” soon even though I know that “normal” will have a new look, as it always does after some life altering event. When the floodwaters finally recede and we step out onto the “new lay of the land” our faith and trust in God will be tested. We will struggle to get our footing. But if we hold onto God’s hand He will walk us through all the new landscape. New mountains, new valleys, new situations and new adventures await. Genesis 8:8-11: “Meanwhile he sent out a dove to see if it could find dry ground, but the dove found no place to light, and returned to Noah, for the water was still too high. So Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back into the boat. Seven days later Noah released the dove again, and this time, toward evening, the bird returned to him with an olive leaf in her beak. So Noah knew that the water was almost gone.” Isaiah 40:31 says: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Wait with hope! Smile and be joyful!
Has this quarantine really been going on for 40 days and 40 nights? No wonder I feel like Noah. I’ve been trapped on this ark with a bunch of animals and the same people (people I love) for nearly 6 weeks. Actually, it rained for 40 days and nights but Noah and his family spent over a year on the ark. Luckily the ark was 1/3 the size of the Titanic. My house is quite a bit smaller than that but I also only have dogs and cats. No bears, elephants or (thankfully) snakes. Noah also did not have Netflix and he didn’t have to do Zoom meetings. (Hello...there was no one to Zoom with...) But, ironically, on this 40th day of our quarantine some of the restrictions are beginning to be lifted. The county judge is “sending out a dove” to see if it’s time to unload the quarantine ark. I’m hopeful that people will follow the guidelines as we cautiously begin to get back some of the things we’ve been missing. Although it will feel nice to have the firm ground of a Target store beneath my feet some day, I do not think I’m ready to venture out yet. I will wait and watch, to see what the newest normal looks like. I’m a cautious person. Just ask my kids. But no matter how cautious or proactive we are, there is no way to predict or prepare for some of the things that come our way in this life. As they say, “All we can do is hope and pray.” I believe that is enough. So I hope and pray that life can return to “normal” soon even though I know that “normal” will have a new look, as it always does after some life altering event. When the floodwaters finally recede and we step out onto the “new lay of the land” our faith and trust in God will be tested. We will struggle to get our footing. But if we hold onto God’s hand He will walk us through all the new landscape. New mountains, new valleys, new situations and new adventures await. Genesis 8:8-11: “Meanwhile he sent out a dove to see if it could find dry ground, but the dove found no place to light, and returned to Noah, for the water was still too high. So Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back into the boat. Seven days later Noah released the dove again, and this time, toward evening, the bird returned to him with an olive leaf in her beak. So Noah knew that the water was almost gone.” Isaiah 40:31 says: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Wait with hope! Smile and be joyful!
Celebrate HOPE with this beautiful song: https://youtu.be/7tElvdnId4Q
This is one of my favorites so far!
ReplyDelete