By now, all of us are trying to adjust to a “new normal” for the next few weeks. Social distancing has become a phrase that I don’t think I ever used in my life until a few weeks ago. Now, it is a part of my everyday vocabulary. If I’m honest, I’m not a big fan of it. I love being a pastor and I love getting to meet with people, pray with people, and equip saints for works of ministry. I have the privilege of preaching God’s Word to a great church each and every week. It doesn’t feel the same preaching to a camera.
And yet, there is a passage that God has been bringing to my mind quite a lot recently as we have worked to establish a new way to minister to our church and our community during this time of social distancing. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul calls all believers to “be joyful always, pray continuously, and give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
That passage reminds me to anchor myself in Christ alone. It reminds me to be flexible with these changes over the next few weeks. It reminds me to be joyful, no matter what!
How do we faithfully adhere to this charge during uncertain times? Paul lays it out for us. First, we have joy. What does that look like? It means we have hope! In a world where people are afraid, living with hope can set us apart. It means that we find security in who we are in Christ and point our friends, neighbors, and relatives towards Him. We realize that joy is not based on our circumstances, but is based on the fact that God loves and He will never abandon us!
Second, we pray continuously. I encourage you to join in our Daily Prayer live streams on Facebook, Monday-Friday, at 7:00 p.m. We are going to intentionally seek God’s face during that time and offer up our prayers and petitions to Him. We pray for God to eradicate this virus. We pray for wisdom for our leaders. It means that when anxiety grips us, we seek assurance at the throne of grace. It means, in times of confidence, leaving notes at the doors of our neighbors and offering to pray for them. It means that as friends and neighbors share concerns with us, we stop right then and pray. We will be intentional with setting aside time to pray, and we will be in touch with the Spirit and praying spontaneously throughout the day.
Third, we give thanks in all circumstances. We thank God for His love for us. For always being there for us. For giving us joy and a reason for hope. For me, personally, it means being thankful that we have the technology to live stream our services, even if it is strange preaching in an empty room. It means being thankful that the church is not a building, but a body of believers! It means that, while we don’t take this pandemic lightly, we thank God that He is good, despite the circumstances. We thank God that in the midst of the challenges of social distancing, we have the opportunity to think of new ways to reach out to one another. We thank God that we get to be agents of reconciliation and ambassadors of hope for His name and His glory.
If I’m honest, these changes and the need for social distancing have been awkward at times. However, I am so grateful to serve a God who isn’t surprised by any of this. I am confident that He who began a good work in us will see it to completion! God’s not done with our church, and I believe that we can honor him by having joy, unceasing prayer, and a heart of thanks through it all.
Please join with us in praying for the health and safety of our community and our world, and let’s have joy and thanksgiving in the midst of it. We know God can bring beauty from ashes!
In Him,
Pastor Zach