"Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” ~2 Chronicles 20:12
Where do we look when everything around us seems totally unfamiliar? Yesterday, walking into an empty Church building, Lillian looked at me and said, "Mom, nothing feels right. Nothing feels normal." I looked at her and nodded in complete agreement.
Our world today looks vastly different than it did even a month ago. Suddenly, all the hustle and bustle of "going" has ceased. We find ourselves living in "temporary new normals" in just about every hour of our days. We struggle to find new ways of doing business, Church, small-groups, school, grocery shopping- and the list goes on. Even my email inbox is now mysteriously filled with "at home" tips and ideas. One month ago, I didn't even know what ZOOM was, and now I find myself ZOOMING everywhere; from online youth group to online coffee with friends. Now, don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the provision of these methods of communication, especially while social distancing. I am just not the best at technology. I prefer simple, old school living. I am truly an "old soul" trapped in a generation that honestly confuses me more and more every day. Just yesterday, I got completely frustrated with what should not have been a difficult task -online. Everywhere I looked, I seemed to see or find someone who was telling me how to do something "new". I was just at my wits end - too many changes - too fast. I stopped to give Chace a bath, and in the most ordinary task, God spoke volumes to my heart. Chace started slipping in the soapy water and suddenly was very scared. I noticed, as long as he looked directly at me and I smiled, he remained calm. When he started looking away from me, he was afraid again. 2 Chronicles 20:12 immediately came to my heart.
I stopped for a moment to just breathe and give myself a little grace. God whispered something so sweet to my heart. "Take your eyes off everything but Me, my child."
Even though we are "at home", we are still surrounded by so much distraction and even advice. Social media feeds are full of temptation to compare how we are doing life with others around us. If we are not careful, even looking across the fence at what the neighbors are doing can serve as a threat to play the comparison game.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss the lesson God is trying to teach me during this time. A lesson to "be still- and focus on Him". Look Him in the eyes. Gaze long on His Word and His way. In the midst of everything changing - God NEVER changes. I find such comfort and peace in knowing that He is one thing that remains constant in my life. I can always revert back to Him for a little normal and familiar. I am not required to set up a LiveStream or Zoom Meeting with Him. He is accessible at all times. No internet connection needed.
If I can leave you with something special today. Give yourself grace, spend a few moments just breathing in fresh air. Focus on memorizing a verse- maybe the one above. You can even insert the word "virus" for "army". When you start to feel overwhelmed - unplug a little while to take a walk or read. Remember, there really are no experts on how we are to spend these days. We are making history. Make your history one that leaves you forever changed for good. Oh and yes...Please remember - You Make God Smile. ♡
