From the Apostle Paul:
“I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4: 12-13
Paul lived a life in complete service to his Lord Jesus Christ. He never wavered in his devotion or in his desire to spread the word of all that Jesus had done for him and for the world. He spent time in jail. He was thrown out of cities. He planted churches, some succeeded, and some failed. Yet, still Paul continued his ministry until at last he, too, was crucified.
We are living in a time (and I pray it will be a short time) that requires a faith with the strength of Paul’s faith. Many of us fall into the high-risk category for COVID-19. Others are worried about parents and grandparents. Still others are worried about how to pay the rent, how to home school the children, how to keep going when the odds were already stacked against them.
In these days, we can call upon these words from Philippians: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” One day at a time, one hour at a time, we will get through this. As we go through these trying days, we can look around and see that the earth still turns and in spite of a pandemic, spring is coming. Jesus will go to the cross and rise again, whether or not we can gather in our church. The work of Jesus is still being done by those who can safely go out into the world as well as by those who must stay inside. Prayers keep love flowing. Prayers bring healing. Prayers give us strength.
If you can “come out to play”, I invite you to contact Michele Holifield at [email protected]. We have set up a temporary daytime shelter in our Fellowship Hall, with approval of the Trustees. Volunteers are needed for two-hour shifts from 8:30 to 5:30. If you cannot safely come out to play, then keep us in your prayers and pray for all those who are taking risks to serve the underserved in our community. Even alone in our apartments and homes, we are choosing love, so that we can be the light that changes the world. The work of Jesus goes on, because God strengthens us every day. Every single day.
