Funny that the last
book I read before the coronavirus craziness started in the US was about
survival. "In the Heart of the Sea," by Nathaniel Philbrick tells an
amazing, horrifying story of humans surviving in the worst of conditions. In
1820, the whaleship Essex was rammed by a large sperm whale and sank. For about
three months afterward, its crew of 20 survived in three very small whaling
boats on the open ocean. By the time they were rescued, there were 8 survivors,
who were starving and severely dehydrated. the survivors had eventually
"…resorted to eating the bodies of the crewmen who had died. When that
proved insufficient, members of the crew drew lots to determine whom they would
sacrifice so that the others could live." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship)).
I can't begin to describe the horror and suffering written about in this
book…it's a good read, though not too uplifting!
Thank God our
present suffering includes running low on TP, eating food that we may not love,
and social distancing. Granted, I don't want to downplay the fact that people
are sick, losing their jobs, and losing sources of income. Don't get me wrong,
things are not good now, however, look at all the things we still have to be
thankful for. It may get much worse than it is now…I don't know, and I
certainly hope not…but stories of perseverance and survival in the face of
circumstances 1,000 times worse than this can actually be encouraging. There is
always someone in worse shape than you are.
Here are some
actions we can take, today, to make this whole thing better:
- Hope, not hoarding. Stick together. I know, we're distancing…but ask your friends, neighbors, and relatives if you can help them. Hoarding TP will not make things better…sharing what you have will.
- Peace, not panic. Be kind to a stranger. If you are in line at HEB or Walmart, let the other person go first. Who knows, it may just be the only nice gesture they experience today…kindness is contagious.
- Faith, not fear. God did not promise the believer an easy life, but He did say he would never forsake us. He is in control. He is good. He cares for you. Take heart in these unchanging facts. If you don't believe in God, or are wondering why He'd let this happen, well, I wish I had all the answers. The bible tells us God allows trials and He loves us.
- God, not greed. Share what you have and trust God to take care of your needs.
- Christ, not chaos. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Please reach out to
a friend, neighbor, or family member today. Ask if they need anything. If
you're the one in need…physically, emotionally, or spiritually, reach out to
someone else. We are a community! The church is not a building.
I'd love to hear how
you are dealing with this. Comment below…
Sincerely,
Josh
