Disruptions

At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from Him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” Luke 8:45

There is a river that runs through time and the universe, vast and inexplicable, a flow of spirit that is at the heart of all existence and every molecule of our being is a part of it. And what is God but the whole of that river? William Kent Krueger

In the pre-COVID-19 era, we pretty much all had our daily routines. We knew what we were doing each day of the week, kept a calendar of activities, and we probably had a list of all the things that needed to be done. In our daily routine, many times we are faced with disruptions that interfere with that routine, but nothing like this virus. Since COVID-19, every day is a disruption, but if we are smart enough to learn from them, those disruptions can provide opportunities.

Jesus had disruptions daily in his ministry, and He was so sensitive to the people and events, that He stopped what He was doing to care and take care of them. We’ve got a choice during this disruptive time, we can keep doing what we are doing, grumble and groan, or we can take the disruption and turn it into something positive.

We can take courage from these disruptions and know that every disruption can offer opportunities if our attitude is positive. C. S. Lewis says. It comes the moment you wake up every morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day come rushing at you like wild animals. Your first job each morning consists of simply shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind. Don’t let disruptions ruin the day.

During these disruptions, we can take faith, make it our core of confidence and trust Jesus. Remember the hymn, What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear; what a privilege to carry everything to Him in prayer. We must remember that on the cross, he took away all that would crush us – all fear, all shame, all doubt. He used the disruptions for good.

It’s also a time to begin to take action and follow Christ through these disruptions. We can take this time to realize that the living Christ is alive and working now! All you need to do is take action just as you would if your car was headed for a ditch. You wouldn’t sit there and do nothing, you’d take action and steer away from trouble. That’s what’s needed now to turn these disruptions into positive experiences.

I think this hymn by Civillia D. Martin says it best. Be not dismayed whate’er betide; God will take care of you. Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you. God will take care of you; through every day, o’er all the way. He will take care of you…God will take care of you.