The strongly-recommended “shelter-in-place” guidelines just issued in our county remind me of a season in the life of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. It would have been in the late 1970’s or maybe early 1980’s—can’t remember—and the pastor Walt Gerber decreed a six-week sabbatical for the entire church. Everything but Sunday worship was suspended because he sensed that the congregation (and he himself, I believe) were exhausted and needed deep soul-rest. Quite a bold move for a church in a period of rapid expansion and program development. Everybody needed adrenalin-withdrawal and blood pressure checks while reinforcing spiritual practices. My recollection is that this pruning bore fruit in spiritual renewal and creative energy.
We could see the strange situation we’re in now as an opportunity for “sabbatical” and make the most of it for the refreshment of our souls, our bodies, our minds, and—if we turn off the TV—our emotions. I am compiling my own list now of activities I usually don’t have time for, the unfinished projects, and the unsaid prayers that can fill these hours of “spatial distance.” I don’t want to pile on more stress with this list, but I do want to enlarge my vision for unscheduled time beyond my Netflix queue!
Through this undetermined time span we have a new opportunity to stay or get in tune with God’s purposes and remain alert to the needs of our neighbors. “Social distance” can be transformed into “relational closeness” by all the wonderful means available to us. As we rediscover God’s reliability and faithful presence and our security in Jesus Christ, we might all be better equipped for life’s future hardships and challenges.
Mary,
A few weeks ago, while studying Luke 1, I ran into the following verse which gives me encouragement today as we face this “self-quarantine.” Luke 1: 37 says:
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (ESV)
We see that with the conception of Jesus Christ, with the conception of John the Baptist, with what happened to Zechariah, with the responses of Elizabeth and Mary, and later the response of Joseph. (All of these are part of Luke 1).
Further nothing is impossible with God at this moment of great world-wide insecurity.
You get the picture. Do we all get the picture?
Thank you for writing, Craig! Yes, indeed, some things are just so big only God can work in and through them. I hope that addressing peoples’ fears and insecurities in the present moment will lead them to discover God’s love and power.
Mary, your blog post is challenging for me. I know I am in a situation that is vastly different than yours. For example I am in a state of almost 98,000 square miles of land and only three reported cases. In some respects it is hard to understand what all the fuss is about. ( I haven’t heard anyone use this term, but I am sure many are thinking, just “Cowboy (cowgirl) up”!
Also, this situation is throwing some major question marks into an upcoming family wedding. It is a perfect opportunity for us to let go and let God. I know that. I have also preached it from time to time. It is however, easier said than done.
Blessings,
Steve, the uncertainty of future plans is crazy-making. OMG, a wedding! How hard is *that*? I know for folks like you it is hard to relate, and the situation is only still ramping up here in the Bay Area. But all my Seattle peeps are in the thick of it, and our trip to see the grands was cancelled last week as a result. So it has hit home for us . . .
Thanks so much, Mary! Our pastoral team is meeting tomorrow via Zoom to figure out what “the church” is going to look like moving forward here in Marin. We see many opportunities for Christians to become “seen” again in this community that is Christian-adverse. We also see a place and an opportunity for us to care deeply for our neighbors in the name of Jesus.
Love it, Terri! One way to look at this is that we have been reassigned duty. Yours is a great example.
Thank you, Mary. Your words are the right tonic for us to take in and hold to. I’ve shared with our Private Facebook group in Fairfax Presbyterian Church. Let’s see more while we wait for your book(s). We’re hunkered down here too with virtual worship and multiple closings, all in accord with social distancing. Recalling those prophetic words of Isaiah to King Ahaz, so appropriate today: “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.” 7:9b NRSV
Mary,
Thanks for this great post! I too plan on being intentional about inviting soul rest into my “sheltering in place” quarantine. These are interesting times, and I want to experience and use them wisely. Hello to Andy! Terry N
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