The first casualties of upheaval can be love, kindness, and patience. But crisis is also a moment when love for God & one another can spring up. For 150 days, starting on 17th March 2020, I will write 300 words based on one of the 150 psalms in the bible. How can I find and give love in the midst of coronavirus?
1 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:1-4)
Forced to be writing this from my house – as with so many of us – adjusting to new circumstances. But I can see the garden – and I can see a robin building a nest. This now sounds like the beginning of a rather cheesy “thought for the day” – but the constraints placed on our lives means that we are all forced to look out of the window a bit more, and up at the sky when we take the exercise that we are allowed.
It is a powerful reminder that the world we live in – however damaged by sin- is still the work of God’s hands. He made it, and it’s amazing – even though it suffers – and we suffer with it. Psalm 8 starts with David considering all that God has made – stars, the heavens, the words of children – and saying they point to God. What is more incredible – is that God has made all this – and yet it is humans that are His greatest treasure. He has made us and He is “mindful of us”. We need to hear this – He thinks of everyone – and He also thinks of you. He sees you, He knows you – He is MINDFUL of you. If you are alone at home, dealing with upheaval, sick, concerned about money, trying to help others – His mind is full of you – and as Psalm 8 – He cares for you, for us, for the world.
God bless you, Matt Frost