Carol Purves

In my country we are in week 15 of lockdown. Life has been difficult for everyone in different ways. No-one knows when things will be back to normal, whatever normal will be. So we just need to hang there, looking more to God and His wisdom. He will see us through.

‘Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.’ James 1:4

There is nowhere in the world we can escape from God, even if we want to. And as we know He is also in space. He was on the moon. Of course He is, He made it.

‘If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there you will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.’ Psalm 139:9-10

‘My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:9

Note, this text doesn’t say God will will meet all our wants. Our wants might be different to our needs. Needs are what we need, obviously. And we can be sure that God will meet them faithfully.

‘No eye has seen, no ear heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ 1 Corinthians 2:9

We know the the Lord is completely reliable but in the stress and strains of life, we can forget. May we never forget in the dark what we have learned in the light. He is surely our fortress and refuge.

‘I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.’ Psalm 91:2

We need protection and safety. Many of the things we have relied on in the past have been swept away. Some never to return. We need something that will never let us down whatever. God ticks all the boxes.

‘Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.’ Psalm 91:1

‘He said to them, ‘ Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’ Mark 16:15

We could think that as we are in lockdown it is not easy to tell others about God, but in this digital age we will not be physically going, but we can use technology to let all the world know about Him.

‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-5

At the moment we cannot much meet together, but we can still spur one another on. There is all kinds of technology we can use, letters, smiles, waves, baking. The list is endless as we use our particular gifts. We don’t always know where people are hurting, but many are hurting greatly at this time.

Just because they are always there, we can ignore them. A friend of mine is always posting photos she has taken of the sky. She has a seeing eye. The sky with all it’s different colours and cloud forms is God’s gift to us.

‘The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.’ Psalm 19:1

As Christians we will be judged by the world, or rather God will be judged. What a responsibility to be representing God. We need to talk to Him as to how we can best do this.

‘Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.’ Colossians 3:17