These are extraordinary times - times of unrest, economic insecurity, social explosion, national fear. Politicians fail us. The Church hasn’t always reacted in these times with courage. Too much Zoom meetings may yet make Gnostics of us all. Many are the things and institutions and businesses that we shall have to get used to not existing anymore.
I am reminded of these verses from Hebrews 12:27 where we are plainly told the created things shall be shaken and removed “so the the things that cannot be shaken will remain”. God is allowing the shaking.
So where is my hope in these COVID times?
To Scripture again and Romans 5:5, “Hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”. Here is where our hope is - through the Holy Spirit God has abundantly poured out on us. Note - not in meetings or new missional theories, not in the latest fad or bandwagon rolling into town, not in leaders (however impressive) - but in the Holy Spirit.
And should we think this is dewy-eyed optimism, consider where Paul wrote to the Romans from - Corinth: a church that had more problems than any I have ever known (among them we could name jealousy, pride, sexual immorality, drunkenness, immaturity in the use of the gifts of the Spirit). It was from this hotbed of chaos that Paul wrote to the Romans and said he wasn’t disappointed or ashamed or dismayed. Rather he was filled with hope because God had flooded his heart with the Holy Spirit. Amen! Yes Lord!
May we cry out for more and more of this love through the Holy Spirit so we can withstand the shaking.
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