by Pastor Chris Hays
Let me start with a confession. I feel a little stir crazy.Â
I’m not the type to be still very long. I’m often teased because in meetings I’ll unintentionally tap a beat on a table, fiddle with a random object, or nervously bounce my legs. So, this stay at home social distancing thing is a stretch for me. Is it stretching you too? Of course, we will cooperate with authorities because when we do we are literally protecting lives.
But how long will it last??
In the Old Testament we find the story of the Israelite’s journey as God delivered them from Egypt to take them to His promised land. God was their wilderness guide and He led them straight to their destination. But when they arrived they couldn’t enter, or rather, they wouldn’t enter. They refused because they feared the challenges ahead of them more than they trusted God. A trip that should have taken days took them years. They were infected with fear and rebellion, so they were quarantined in the wilderness. The soul of the nation, aside for a few faithful, was not healthy. They were in no condition to enter their promised land. We often look at the wilderness as punishment; But God’s bigger purpose was to heal Israel so they could enter the promised land healthy and full of faith!
“Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:2-3 NLT
Let’s make this clear. This virus is not from God and it isn’t his punishment, but sometimes God uses times like these to do a deeper work of transforming us. A process that trains us to completely rely on Him and to follow Him in faith.
God is preparing us for something amazing just on the other side of this corona wilderness. Do you see the promised land? It’s just on the horizon! Let’s not be distracted by the stir crazies. If we will yield ourselves and quickly respond to His leading we will be prepared to enter our promise!