I am finding it difficult to get my head around all of this that is happening. Last night, I hosted an online prayer gathering for our church. We prayed for a long list of people who are affected by this crisis. I know how my life is being affected by this. But as we began to pray, I realized there are so many different situations where people are being affected in ways that I could not have imagined.

We may not be able to fully grasp all of this, but nothing comes as a surprise to God. Throughout history, there have been wars, famines, plagues, and natural disasters. It was in these times of crisis that serve as a catalyst for renewed faith and trust in God. When everything that we trusted in begins to fail us, we come to realize that God alone is our salvation.

During our prayer meeting I shared Psalm 63:1:

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1, ESV)

Here we are reminded that God is God. There is no other God. We may make idols of other things. We may think that our salvation is having enough bread, milk, or toilet paper on hand. We may think our salvation is having enough money in our checking accounts to weather the storm. We may think that our salvation is keeping ourselves isolated so that we don’t become infected. But before we need any of those things, we need God! God is our salvation! Jesus reminds us that we do not live on bread (milk, toilet paper, money, etc) alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (see Matthew 4:4).

The second thing this Psalm reminds us to do is to seek the Lord. This especially true in a time of need. The Psalmist speaks of a dry and weary land where there is no water. We are entering into a time of scarcity where the abundance that we recently enjoyed is drying up. Seek him!

Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God (see Matthew 6:33). The result is that all these things will be given to us as well. In other words, if we keep seeking him, God will take care of the rest. But it all starts with seeking him. Seeking him is opening up the Word. Seeking him is going to him in prayer. Seeking him is looking to do what he would have you do. Seeking him is joining together with other believers however we can.

Think about when you are hungry or thirsty. Your priority becomes food and water. You look for those things above everything else. In a time like this, you may be hungry and thirsty for many things. But my prayer is that our greatest hunger and thirst would be for the Bread of Life and Living Water. As a result, this hunger and thirst would drive us passionately pursue God in our lives.

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13–14, ESV)

Your life is dramatically different today than it was last week at this time. Much has changed. Our normal routines have been dramatically interrupted. We are all learning a new normal caused by social distancing.

Furthermore, there is great uncertainty. We do not know what the future will hold. We do not know when this will end. And what will be the lasting impact this hiatus has on life?

Many of us may be anxious.

• How will I make ends meet if I am not able to work?
• Will I lose my job?
• What will happen to my retirement?
• Will I get sick?
• What if I run out of supplies and I can’t leave the house?

There is much that we might fear. In times of upheaval, we tend to focus on what has been lost. It is this concern about what might be lost that creates anxiety and fear. This is typically what comes to the forefront of our minds.

Consider however what might have been gained. What is the opportunity? We are all busy people. We always feel as if there is not enough time. We are constantly on the go. Maybe you have longed to have the opportunity to slow down. Now you are being forced to slow down. It may be inconvenient. It may be costly. But there is nothing you can do to change that now. Lean into this opportunity to slow down. Rather than dwelling on what is lost, focus on what is now made possible.

Here are some ideas:

• Read the book you have not had time to read.
• Get outdoors, go for a walk, and enjoy the fresh air.
• Start that new exercise program.
• Spend some quality time with your kids.
• Play a board game.
• Learn a new skill (cooking, sewing, woodworking).
• Learn to play a musical instrument.
• Organize your attic/closets.
• Start that new home improvement project.
• Get caught up on sleep.
• Organize your old photos.
• Call and reconnect with an old friend.

Feel free to share in the comments how you are taking advantage of this situation. Don’t waste this time by binging on Netflix or endlessly scrolling through social media.

Our church has lost the ability to physically gather together. But not all is lost. We are still able to gather together in our homes. We will be streaming songs and I will be sharing a message online. If your church doesn’t provide a similar opportunity I want to invite you to join us. I will be sharing more info about how to join in later this week.

In so many ways, it will like going back to the early church. Listen to these words from Acts:

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46–47, ESV)

They did not go to church. They were the church! And they met in their homes! And the Lord added to their numbers those who were being saved!

Not all is lost. There is an opportunity gained! Disruption can be a good thing. When our routines are disrupted we are forced to consider what is most important – our relationship with God! We are made to examine why we do the things that we do. We learn not to take what we have been given for granted. What is God teaching you through the disruption?

My prayer is that God will use this time for spiritual renewal in our churches and communities. I am praying that he will use this time to open doors for the gospel message that those who do not trust in the Lord would come to trust in the Lord. May God heal us not just from Coronavirus, but may he heal our land of apathy, idolatry, greed, and more.

Come, Lord Jesus! Amen!

Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:13, ESV)

Repentance runs deep. Joel describes returning to the Lord as rending your heart and not your garments. He is saying that repentance is more than superficial change. Repentance is a shifting of your attitudes, affections, and priorities.

When we face challenges, we look for a quick and easy fix. We often seek technical solutions for problems that are mired in complexity. Our problems are often bigger than our solutions. We have affections that should not be affections. We have priorities that should not be priorities. We have attitudes that should not be attitudes. If we are to experience true and lasting change the repentance will cut deep. Changes that are easy to make will likely have little impact.

Repentance is not something that comes naturally. Repentance is the working of God in us. It is the dwelling of the Holy Spirit that gives us a clean heart and renews within us a right spirit. (See Psalm 51:10). Repentance is having God perform spiritual heart surgery upon you.

There are two things that make repentance a work that goes beyond human will-power or wisdom. The first is our lack of desire to repent. The second is our lack of understanding of our need to repent. We need God to overcome both of these obstacles.

Lack of Desire to Repent

Repentance involves loss. That loss may hurt. The loss may be things that make us feel good but are ultimately harmful to us. It may be giving up a sense of control over things we can’t control. It may be pride and position that we need to forsaken because they are no advantage to us. Significant change will hurt. But there is greater pain if we do not change.

I often help people who know from an intellectual point of view that what they are doing is harmful to themselves and others. If knowledge was enough, there would be no problem. But there is a tremendous pull upon our spirits against what we know is best for us. We become stubborn and resistant to the new things God wants to do in and through us.

It is not will-power, it is the Spirit’s power that will overcome. Ask him for the courage and the help to make the change.

Lack of Understanding to Repent

Repentance is also hard because Satan works hard to convince us of the goodness of things that are not good for us. Without the mind of the Spirit, we are blind to the truth. We all have things about which we need to repent but don’t recognize.

Sometimes, we don’t want to see the need because we don’t want to see. Sometimes, the good I think I do is not good. Sometimes, the words I share that I think are helpful, are not helpful.

If I am confronted with the truth, I easily become defensive. The reason this happens is that I have an inward mindset that measures my words and actions by how they positively affect me. But if we turn to an outward mindset, we might see differently how our words and actions negatively impact others.

We pray for God to give us eyes to see what we cannot see even if it may be hard to see.

Reflection

1. Where do you need repentance in your life?
2. Where do you struggle to make the change you know you need to make?
3. How might you open your eyes and heart to things you need to change?
   

Prayer

Lord, I want to do what is right and what is best. But I am constantly pulled away by desires and affections that hold me captive. I want to let them go. I have tried to let them go. And sometimes I can push them away for a time, but they come back stronger. I know things need to change. But I do not have the strength over my fleshly ambitions. I need your Spirit. Cut deeply into my heart. Adjust my attitude and make it godly. Give me the discernment to pursue your abundant grace. Amen.

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” (Joel 2:12, ESV)

Martin Luther said, “A whole Christian’s life is one of repentance.”

Repentance is often seen as a dirty word in our culture. No one wants to be told that they are a sinner. We are quick to blame everyone and everything else for our situation.

We would rather be a victim. A victim has no claim of responsibility. A victim has no guilt. A victim can wait for others to apologize and change their ways.

But repentance is taking ownership. It starts with confession. Confession is to admit my sin and my failure. It is to stop blaming others and to acknowledge my part. With confession, there is no blame. There are no excuses. There is no justifying.

Confession is simply: “I was wrong.”

That does not mean that others are not wrong. They all have their own issues. They might have taken advantage of you. But we do not wait for them to make the first move. We can’t control their response. But we do have power over our response.

We are very good at seeing the fault in others. We have a much more difficult time seeing the fault in ourselves. I know that I struggle with this. I think highly of myself. I pride myself on doing the right thing. When I get into a dispute with my wife I am keenly aware of all the ways that she is wrong. But I think I am justified in all of my words and actions.

The truth is that I could not be more blind. I am wrong in more ways than I can imagine. But I don’t see it.

This gets us to the second level of confession. The first level of confession is to admit I am wrong. The second level of confession is to admit why I am wrong. It is easier to admit I am wrong than it is to admit how I am wrong.

But recognize that you are likely blind to your sin. Sin hides in the darkness. And Satan wants nothing more than for you to remain ignorant of your fault. Satan knows that if you stay stuck in your ignorance nothing will change.

We need the Holy Spirit to give us eyes to see our sin. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal the hard truths and to give us hearts to receive that truth.

We need to listen first to the Word of God. Examine your choices, words, and actions against the Word of God. And if you don’t see anything you need to change, then go back and look at it again. We all have fault.

We also need to listen to others. Again, we are not going to say that they are not without fault. But listen closely to what they have to say. Even if you think they are off based, you need to hear the truth in their word. Because even within the most unjustified criticism, there is likely a nugget of truth.

This is hard. That is the reason that we are told to return to the Lord with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. It hurts to see ourselves clearly for who we are. But as long as we live in this sinful world there are always going to be ways in which we can grow and change. It does not matter how good things are, there are still faults and failures we can find. Those who experience the most fulfilling relationships and abundant lives are the ones who recognize their short-comings to receive the help they need. And the more specific we are at finding our faults, the greater the opportunity we have for God to aid us in overcoming the darkness in which we find ourselves.

Reflection

1. What areas of your life do you need to admit you are wrong?
2. Can you list some specific ways you are at fault?
3. Where are you struggling to see your sins? Who can you ask to help you see more clearly?

Prayer

Lord, I admit I am wrong. I acknowledge I am a sinner. I am not where I want to be in life. I am quick to blame others. I so easily play the role of victim. But I know that I have made mistakes. I know that I have not always acted in loving ways according to your will. But I have so much trouble seeing it. I pray that you would help me to see what I cannot see in myself. Open my eyes to discern what I cannot discern. Lord, I plead that you would reveal where I need help so that I can ask and receive the help I need. Amen.

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” (Joel 2:12, ESV)

God does not want to be put first. He wants to be put center.

• At the center of your day
• At the center of your marriage
• At the center of your career
• At the center of your budget
• At the center of your friendships

He is not another thing among many. He is everything.

Imagine if a husband tells his wife that she is his first love. The implication is that he has other loves. That would not do. He would rightfully tell her that she is his only love and he has forsaken all others.

God does not want a portion of our hearts. He does not want most of our hearts. He wants all of our hearts. But we have a way of portioning out our affection. We certainly love God, but there are many other things we love that compete for our affection. There is a reason that the 1st Commandment is: You shall have no other gods. (see Exodus 20:3).

Yesterday, we spoke about the slow fade and how we come to a place we never imagined we would find ourselves. We get there when we take God out of the center. We get distracted by good things that pull us away from the greatest thing. God gets crowded out of the center by other things.

To get back to where we need to be is not going to happen with a half-hearted commitment. It will not happen unless we step up and say that we are all in. This is not sticking your foot in the water. It is taking the plunge.

Learning to Say No

The hardest part of total commitment is not saying yes. It is saying no. To fully endeavor yourself means that there are some tough choices to be made. It means giving up things you may not want to give up.

F.O.M.O. is an acronym that stands for Fear Of Missing Out. It is what leads us to try to do it all. It is the lure that leads us to relentlessly check social media. We don’t want to miss anything that might be important. We can’t say no because we fear we will miss out. But the problem is that when everything becomes important, nothing is important.

What is holding you back from more passionately pursuing God’s will for your life? What is hindering you from placing God fully into the center of your life?

People often consider giving up something for Lent. It is tied to the spiritual discipline of fasting. But fasting is not so much about giving up food (or anything else). We give up to get something more. We may give up food for a time period so that we can get more undistracted time with God. It is not giving up something for the sake of giving something up. It is saying no to a lesser thing so that we can say yes to the greater thing.

A key coming out of the slow fade is a wholehearted commitment. A major part of that commitment is to forsake other commitments. To what will you say no so that you can say yes to what is most important? What are the tough choices you need to make?

• Say no to social media to have undistracted time with people you are physically present with?
• Say no to binge-watching television to read more?
• Say no to Amazon spending to be more generous with others and to save more?
• Say no to fast food to lose weight and be more healthy?
• Say no to staying up late to wake up early for devotion or exercise?
• Say no to accumulated possessions to simplify life and lessen responsibility?
• Say no to social acquaintances to have deeper and more meaningful friendships?

Often times we think we can moderate ourselves. But we are indulgent beings. We become consumed by things with which we should not be consumed with. There may be times where you can moderate. But the further you have faded into the darkness, the harder the commitment will be and the more important the word no will become.

Reflection

1. What is the hard “no” you need to make?
2. Where does F.O.M.O have its grip on you?
3. What is one thing you could change in your life that would have the biggest positive impact to center God in your life?
   

Prayer

Lord, I want to love you and return to you with all my heart. But I have so many things that have competed for my allegiance and affection. It is so hard to let go. But I know that things have got to change. I feel pulled in a million different directions and I am not living an effective life. Give me the power of your spirit to surrender my idols. They have a powerful grip on me. I know that until that grip is released I will remain trapped. Please help me to break free from all that is pulling me away from you. Amen.