Inexpressible Joy. Unrelenting Peace. Blessed Assurance. I can honestly say that I have never been more blessed than I am today in this moment and God’s blessings just keep coming everyday. I know the Corona virus has taken its toll on many of us, draining us with constant negativity, making some of us sick, making others of us unemployed, giving us no certainty of the future and stripping everything that we normally do to occupy our time and days. In turbulent, uncertain times like these it can be easy to forget about all the blessings God has given us and instead focus on what he is taking away. However, I couldn’t help but notice a few days ago while riding my bike in my neighborhood that despite all of the difficult situations and uncertainty that this virus has created, there was still incredible, insurmountable joy. Despite what our adversary the Devil means for evil, God always turns it around for good. A few days ago while I was riding my bike I saw something so beautiful that it reminded me that no matter what evil is happening around me, God is good. I saw Fathers playing with their children. I saw Husbands walking with their Wives. I saw children laughing with uncontainable joy as their mother rode bike with them around the neighborhood. Families brought together in unity and joy. I have been riding bike in this neighborhood for months now and about a week ago was the first time I saw this and I nearly started to cry.
You see, I have been praying for God to stir up in people’s hearts a desire and hunger for the things that are important, for the things that matter to him. In a culture absorbed with “being productive” and “success”, people don’t often slow down enough to examine if what they are being successful at or productive in is really important. I think that for many people, this virus was an act of mercy and grace from God. He is giving people a chance to see what really matters in life. It’s as if God were shutting down all of the lights to a major city and for the first time at night, everyone looks up at the stars and can see the milky way shining in all of its glory. Our lives are often filled with light pollution that clouds us from seeing the glories of God in something as simple as our families. God has shown me so much about family, his design for it and how it is meant to mirror and reflect the church. Recently, I was reading in 1 Timothy 3:5 “If someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?”. So often times we want to go out into the world and make huge lasting change, but God says if we can’t love, invest in, and manage our own families, how can we go out into the world and make a difference? All of the change in society that we desire will not come through a political figure, and it won’t come from some social movement or some institution. Rather, true change in our society starts when people realize that they have a beautiful Father in heaven who loves them so much that he did not even spare his own Son in order to demonstrate his love to them and this truth changes the way they manage and love their families. Because when you realize the Love God has for you as a loving father this reflects to your love for your family, which is God’s instrument to change your community, the local church, which is God’s instrument to change your city, which changes your country which changes the world.
As I write this blog, it breaks my heart knowing how many people reading this blog are part of broken families and who have experienced nothing but pain and hurt from their earthly families. I truly am sorry and I know that it breaks God’s heart even more than it breaks mine. This was not how he desires for the family to operate, however, our God is a God of redemption and restoration. Just like through this pandemic, I have seen fathers prioritizing spending time with their kids and families being brought together, I believe that God wants to redeem the word family for you. In fact it is my prayer that, whether it is through your earthly family or through your spiritual family in Christ, God changes the meaning and image that comes to your mind when you think of His family. Unlike our earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father is perfect and he leads his family the church, in goodness, righteousness and freedom.
There is revival coming. Just like when Elijah prayed and it didn’t rain for 3 years and he challenged the prophets of Baal and God showed up, this virus and the chaos it has brought is meant to bring about revival and to gather up people who will worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Be watchful and cognizant of what God is doing both in your family and in this nation. Join him in prayer and love for those around you and focus on what really matters, building up the family of God in love.
Ephesians 5:15
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
