The Pastor’s Garage March 26th, 2020
March 26, 2020
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Hey there, how yah doing these days? Over the last couple weeks I’ve
have done a LOT of phoning asking that very question! The answers have been
across the board from fine to just about in tears! How are you doing? How’s
your stress level? How are you sleeping and eating these days? To be
honest, the answer that worries me the most is “Oh fine, why?”! Really?
Soooo you got nothing to worry about eh? Hmmm. Yahhhh right!
I will admit a couple weekends ago when this all started to get real
I was starting to wig out! I am not fiscally resposible enough to weather
any kind of storm, I’m not exactly the picture of health, I have a wife
with asthma, a 92 year old mother and a four year old son…you get the
picture! As I watched the news I felt fear start to creep in, I was having
trouble sleeping. We had met for our regular elders meeting and initially
thought about phoning the older shut-ins to see how they were doing and
pray for them. During the meeting we decided, lets just phone everyone! We
split up the names associtated with our church and I started phoning those
on my list. Funny thing happened, as I began to call people and pray with
them my faith arose! My eyes were lifted off of my worries and fears and
began to be fixed on the only One who could offer any kind of real hope!
Today I can honestly say that while I still have some concerns, my attitude
has changed from one of fear and worry to faith and peace. I am excited for
what I believe God is doing in the midst of this all!
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 keeps coming to mind. “For though we walk in
the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of
our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy
strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against
the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The
phrase that really stood out to me in those verses was to take every
thought captive. If I could suggest during these turbulent times to gaurd
your mind carefully! Drastically limit your time on social media, only
watch the news briefly to stay aware. Avoid post apocalyptic shows and
movies like Contagion, The 100, Cargo, Carriers, or Planet of the Apes.
Instead fix your eyes and mind on uplifting things! Read your bible, find a
good book, listen to praise and worship, phone someone to see how they’re
doing and offer to pray with them, watch only postive shows and movies! A
couple worship songs that have really stood out in the last couple days are
Faithful One, and You’re Beautiful by Phil Wickam, I would encourage you to
youtube them! Not to make light of the momentary affliction that unfolds
worlwide before our eyes, but as we fix our eyes and mind on things above
and start to look at the real battle raging around us from a eternal
perspective, we will start to focus on what is truly important and our
faith and boldness will arise based upon the One we look too!
If you need someone to talk too or pray with please reach out, I’m
just a phonecall away! But even more important, God is just a prayer away!
Don’t forget to “tune in” to the Sunday Experience on our website this
weekend for our online service.
Pastor Mike