By Jason Shirley
To say that we live in uncertain times would be an understatement. Certainly in my lifetime we have never faced a global crisis that even approaches the scale of COVID-19. As people of Faith, we naturally turn to God as our hope. As things have began to change, like many churches around the country, our church has done our best to evolve so that we can effectively communicate with our congregation and lead people to the throne of grace, where we find mercy and grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Most of the prayers that I have prayed, and I expect you are much the same, have included a prayer for our leaders. That they have God’s wisdom in making the decisions to keep us safe. I believe that we can have confidence in our prayers not only being heard but being answered (1 John 5:14-15)! In light of these prayers that are being prayed in homes all across the country, I am puzzled when I hear Christians criticizing our leadership in the decisions they are making. This is not a partisan statement, it’s a faith statement. I believe, according to the scripture, that my prayers work! So as I pray for guidance and wisdom to be given to our leaders, I believe that God has given them wisdom and guidance. To believe any less would be saying that I don’t believe my prayers worked. I challenge you to not dismiss the answer because it may not be what you want to hear. This means following the guidance given by our Governor, and our President. This also means we will have to set aside our Democrat and Republican biases and believe God. I believe that is the job of the Church. Isaiah, the prophet, said it so well in Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. NKJV. I challenge the community of Faith to use this time as a reset. Let’s step back and look at our priorities and our focus. Most churches have done things out of the ordinary in order to stay connected. If you have a church that you call home, use these innovative ways of communication to strengthen your faith, your family, and the involvement in your church. If you don’t have a church community to call home, I urge you to find one. Our city is full of amazing groups of people that love God and have a heart for each other. Let’s stick together during this time and come out on the other side stronger than we were before. If the dust settles and we are the same, the enemy has won. But if we stand united, and come out determined to love God and love others in a greater way than ever before, we put the power of darkness on notice, that he had better think twice before messing with the church of Jesus Christ. I love you all and am praying for you. This is where I would normally say that my door is always open, but for now my phone and messenger is open to you as we maintain social distancing. As we stand united, we will overcome. Let peace rule in your home and your hearts and always remember that God is Madly in Love with You! Jason Shirley Associate Pastor - Word of Life Church