As I sit in my home during the current nation-wide “quarantine” due to COVID-19 and feeling like I am living in the midst of a Stephen King or M. Night Shyamalan movie, I can’t help but ponder how our world will change as a result of this current crisis. What new habits, rules or mannerisms will we adopt as we press forward?
I lived through 9/11 and witnessed how our lives changed after that traumatic event. I remember the days when you were able to walk all the way to the airport gate without a boarding pass or even showing an id. Now we not only have long lines at TSA checkpoints but even have to take our shoes off to pass through. And forget about taking a drink through the checkpoint for it will certainly be discarded along with any other liquids that exceed the designated limits. Life didn’t use to be that way. I lost my favorite pair of tweezers at one airport because I forgot and packed them into my carry-on instead of my checked luggage. Apparently someone thought the “sharp point” could have been used as a weapon. Once on the airplane don’t even think about standing outside the lavatory near the cockpit, you might be tackled! These are all things we now consider normal that were unheard of in years past.
It’s not just terrorist attacks that cause our way of life to change, natural disasters do also. Hurricane Andrew pounded southern Florida in 1992 completely destroying approximately 63,000 homes and damaging a whopping 100,000 more. That widespread destruction resulted in stronger building codes to make Florida’s homes and buildings better able to withstand similar fierce winds. Building codes focused on wind resistance and roof integrity, including impact-resistant windows, are the new accepted norm. Long gone is the use of cheaper materials like particleboard in new construction.
After the Coronavirus passes, we should expect yet another new “normal.” What those changes will be are yet to be determined, but you can rest assured there will be some. Businesses that were once open 24 hours may now have reduced hours. Many businesses may shut their doors permanently. Cleaning standards may be different and more stringent in the wake of what has happened recently. Handshakes may be a thing of the past and fist bumps may be the new norm. Virtual hugs may replace real ones (Oh no!). Anytime someone coughs or sneezes you may hear the words “unclean!” and see people scurrying for safety. You laugh, but it may be the new reality!
And what about our churches? Will millions of churchgoers have gotten out of the routine of getting up on Sunday morning to attend services and settle in to a new norm of sleeping in? Will they have stopped tithing since they are not attending and continue to withhold that support even after the services return to normal schedules? Will more educational instruction be virtual as opposed to requiring in-classroom attendance?
I have seen post after post in local community groups how individuals are doing everything they can to ensure small businesses are still receiving their support. I have seen groups organizing “bear hunts” for neighborhood children (stuffed bears placed in windows). Neighbors helping neighbors to ensure their needs are met. People caring for each other. Will that be the new norm?
Regardless of how our world changes there is one thing we can depend upon… GOD HAS NOT, DOES NOT and WILL NOT CHANGE.
Although we don’t always see or understand the big picture that God has planned for us, His love for us is everlasting. He remains on the throne and in control. We can continue to trust Him at His Word and find our hope and refuge in Him. Here are a few verses to seek comfort in.
“For I, the Lord, do not change” – Malachi 3:6a
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” – James 1:17
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:8
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.” – Lamentations 3:22
During this time of uncertainty and chaos, anchor your faith in the one that does not change. Seek Him diligently, read His Word, and pray for His protection and guidance. Know that our world will change, as it has many times before, but there is no reason to fear. God is faithful and just and will not leave your side, in fact, He will carry you through the difficult times if you will just fully rely on Him.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
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Let Your Faith Abound
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God’s Continual Sovereignty
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