Monday morning I couldn’t sleep any longer. Too many thoughts were swirling through my head about the Coronavirus. How effective would LiveStream worship actually be? How was I going to ensure all the members of the church staff continued to get a paycheck? What about Feed My Sheep or Family Promise? What about funerals, weddings, Holy Week, and Easter? How many people would get sick? How many wouldn’t survive? How were businesses going to stay afloat?
Realizing I was tossing and turning and didn’t want to disrupt Shannon’s sleep, I got up about 2:30 and sat in my office, sipping a cup of coffee, and praying. It was in the quiet and serenity of the moment that I realized I had given into the demon of worry.
Just like God is always speaking to us, evil is doing the same. And if evil can find a weakness in our defenses, it will exploit our fears, ambitions, greed, anger, and anything else it can to turn up the volume so much, that God’s voice of peace and reassurance is drowned out.
It was at that moment that I remembered David’s beautiful words: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
No matter how dark your valley or treacherous the path, God walks with you. He will never leave or desert you. That means you can face whatever life throws your way with confidence. And even though we are in uncharted territory with people buying out hand sanitizers, toilet paper, and maintaining social distancing, we will get through this. God’s right here with us.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, calm my angst and help me to remember to trust where I cannot see, follow where you lead, and listen for your voice of calm. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
This is a time to expect the unexpected. Like earlier today, I had a conversation with Laura and Melissa about the dreaded toilet paper shortage. That was a first.
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 