In early March I had a conversation with Pastor Dan about the concept of time and feeling stretched too thin. That evening when I sat down to my devotions, I opened to the day’s passage to find that it, too, was on the subject of time. Even then, before this disease had really begun its march across America, I felt God’s prompting hand upon my heart. I folded the corner of the page and nestled the thoughts into the corner of my mind.

Later in the month as  COVID-19 began cropping up across the country, I recalled the devotion and returned to it again and again. The words on those pages had come alive.

Sometimes, as Christians, we allow ourselves to be so overcome with our commitments that we lose our joy and the excitement we once had for serving God and those around us. In my life, when this has occurred, God has placed before me a metaphorical stop sign. It has taken the form of exhaustion, sickness, injury, even a brain hemorrhage. As you can see, I must be a slow learner because it takes a big stop sign to slow me down!

Perhaps this virus that is afflicting our world may act, particularly for us Christians, as a huge stop sign! God may put it to his use as a “time out”.

I looked out from my back yard last week and saw an astounding view—people. Whole families strolling along, stopping to speak with their neighbors (from a safe distance), smiling, and enjoying life. What an opportunity to spread seeds of faith, hope, and the Love of Jesus!

Because we are sheltered in the arms of Jesus there is no room for fear, just recognition that God is busy working out good for us.

Might we then, making the best of a difficult situation, use this time to relax, work on our hobbies, actually catch up on some things we have put off, heal relationships, and above all else, pray?

Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best of your time, despite all the difficulty of these days,” (J. B. Phillips).

It is my prayer that our response to this crisis ultimately brings light to our world and glory to God.