July 7: Tuesday Refocus

'Man's heart is never large enough to hold either its joys or its sorrows.' - Charles Spurgeon

I do not know that those words have ever felt as true as they do at this moment.  Our stories and suffering have been given for sharing.

Our illusions of self-sufficiency have ruptured under the weight of each individual having to think outside themselves when it comes to quarantine response.  And even the most introverted among us feel the ache of grief accompanying the loss of regular gatherings of family, friends, co-workers, and fellow worshipers.  With the ever-flowing stream of statistics and fear, we can feel it.  It is too much to bear.

We cannot carry the weight of this life on our own.  But because Christ has taken our sin, suffering, and death upon Himself, the weight is no longer ours to carry (1 Pet 2:24).  In fact, we are invited to come to Him - the One Whose yoke is easy and burden is light (Matt 11:30).  And because Christ has carried us and our burden, we too can ‘Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).’

I have no idea what life after COVID-19 will look like, but I hope that we will emerge as people who have learned to deeply bear the burdens of one another as Christ bears us up.

‘Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.’ Ps 68:19

Lord, in the confusion of our world, would You continue to bear us up.  May we emerge from this time with hearts that have been carried and learned to carry.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Carried,

AB

December 3: Tuesday Refocus

‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.’ - Isaiah 9:2

From darkness to light is a theme we see throughout Scripture.  We were those dwelling in deep darkness, darkened in our understanding, ignorant and hard-hearted (Eph 4:18).  We loved the dark, hid ourselves and our actions in its covering (Jn 3:19, Lk 8:17).

This would still be our reality if not for Christ… ‘In Him was the life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (Jn 1:4-5)  Now ‘…if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.’ (1 Jn 1:7).

Out of darkness and isolation, and into union and communion with God and one another.  In a small reflective way, this is what happens every week as we gather with the people of God.  We step into the light of the gathered Church to be reminded that we are people who carry Light into a dark world.  That we are the light of the world (Matt 5:14).

‘O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.’ Isaiah 2:5

Jesus, You are God with us - thank You!  Help us walk with You as You walk with us.  Bring us out of darkness into the Light of Your holiness.  We desire to be people who have fellowship with You and one another more than the darkness.  In Your name, amen.

Walking,

AB