In the aftermath of 9/11 we saw many good changes take place. For example, our citizens developed a heightened sense of appreciation for first responders and a deeper love for our country. However, we also saw many negative changes take place, ones that quickly come to mind was an intensified distrust of Islam, blatant acts of racism against Middle Easterners, and fears of similar attacks that completely changed many travel and financial policies. I believe what we are experiencing right now has the same kind of ability to change our hearts, ideals, relationships, political policies, and much more and I have great hopes that it will change us for the better and am trusting that God will use this for our good and His glory. So, dream with me as I walk through four things that I am hopeful for in the weeks, months, and years to come.
- A Shift in Priorities
I think there are three major priority shifts that may, and hopefully will, come out of this. The first is a shift in financial priorities. There is no doubt that this pandemic will do major financial damage to this country. There has already been an abundance of layoffs and will be more to come. The fact that our policy makers are working towards a very large economic stimulus package that trumps (no pun intended) the one given during the 2008 recession is a great indicator of this truth. Too often we so wildly chase the material things of the world that we get so out of sorts with our finances that the next paycheck becomes a god to us because we have our debts to pay. I pray that this pandemic forces us to reevaluate what we find important to own, drive, and live-in and therefore shifts our pursuit of worldly prosperity.
Besides the economic impact, we are finding ourselves prioritizing our family relationships, even if it does feel involuntary. Hopefully the time we are having at home with our families is drawing us nearer and strengthening our love. Hopefully those who spend too much time on the golf course or in shopping malls will be reminded of the great bond we share with our family and will see the immense value of togetherness. With the lack of ministry taking place in our churches I am hopeful that a greater emphasis on discipleship is taking place in our homes and that moms and dads are taking on the role of lead disciple maker for their children, which has always been the best design.
Thirdly, I am hopeful that this pandemic shifts our priority of gathering as the church. Church attendance all over our country is at a decline as many church goers are attending less frequently than ever before. As of today, I am honestly not very hopeful we will be gathering together for the next 2-3 months. I hope I am wrong but the current rate of change that is taking place in our country doesn’t bode well for us. I mentioned to my pastor the other day that the first time we gather as a church after this ends is going to perhaps be the sweetest day in the history of the church. What a joy it will be to worship together again. Until then, I am hopeful that this current pandemic reminds us of the value of being together as a church and shifts the way we prioritize our scheduled gathering times.
- A Reminder of our Mortality
Hebrews 9:27 says “it is appointed for man to die once”, and although we may not need a scripture to teach us this truth, it does keep it in a biblical perspective. We have already seen thousands of lives lost to this pandemic and we will likely see thousands more. Many are worrying about their families catching the virus while families like mine worry about our family members who have to work to take care of the sick in times like this. The truth is that each of us have a time in which we will die. Maybe it won’t be at the hands of this virus, but it will still take place. My hope is that this pandemic will force us to take a long look at our lives and ask ourselves whether what we are doing and focusing on is really worth it knowing that we are mortal beings living in mortal bodies which will one day take its last breath. James 4 says “…you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” This is the scripture most used to illustrate that “life is but a vapor”, so let’s remember this as we move forward from today. Life is short, do what really matters.
- A Greater Appreciation of the Church
I am a pastor and I recognize that this point could be heavily misunderstood. With that said, my hope is that through this season of our lives we will grow in appreciation of our church. For clarity, when I say church, I do not mean the building in which you gather but rather the people in which you have covenanted with to serve and pursue Jesus. While this could be confused for having the same hope for the third priority in the first point, it comes with a different expectation and I am hopeful that this appreciation and recognition is what drives the church to prioritize our gathering. I am hopeful that we will grow in appreciation of our small group leaders, kids’ ministry workers, hospitality teams, worship music teams and all the others that play a huge role in making our gathering purposeful and powerful. I pray that you are thanking God for your pastors, their families, and the staff that are taking care of the ministry of the church during these difficult and unchartered times. While I certainly hope that our priorities shift in our frequency of gathering, my hope here is that we will be reminded through this time that the church plays a huge role in our lives and that we need one another in ways we never thought possible.
- A Closer Walk with Jesus
The following sentence could not be overstated; never in our lifetime have we had a better opportunity to draw nearer to Christ. Life has slowed to an almost complete halt. We are restricted from our outside hobbies, favorite vacation spots, much of our work responsibilities, and, sadly, even our church gatherings. What this means for us now is that we have greater opportunities to focus on things that oftentimes get much less of us than they deserve. May we use this time to focus on the two things in our lives that deserve the most attention: knowing and being like Jesus. Perhaps you will be watching more television than normal, be intentional to watch things that make much of Jesus and bring Him glory. We may be picking up books to read at an unfamiliar rate, read things that help us know and be like Jesus. You may have music playing more often than normal, listen to things that glorify Jesus. You will have more time than ever with your family, teach them to know and be like Jesus. Whatever the route may be, you may never have a better time than now to say “yes” to Jesus. Take full advantage of it and pray wholeheartedly that the changes you make today become your new normal tomorrow.
The truth is, things are going to change after this pandemic subsides. I am hopeful that Christians will be a glowing light in the midst of a changed world and that our bonds are made stronger, our families drawn closer, our faith emboldened, and our Christlikeness increased.
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