Bella Vista Church of Christ
03/29/2020
Randall Caselman
Devotional - 1
I’ve received numerous calls requesting that I call their parents or children just to… Visit… Comfort…Encourage… Reassuring them … Physically… Emotionally… Spiritually.
Assuring them that God is walking with us in this crisis.
You see… Social Distancing is against our DNA…
In fact Scripture indicates that God created us for relationships with Him and one another… We are not created to be hermits…
It was our creator who noted that… It is not Good that man should be alone.
So… How do we deal with this COVID-19 shutdown measures that are needed for our bodily health… But are against our soul health.
Pay attention to the National Guidelines…
• Stay away from crowds…
• Stay away from the sick…
• Wash your hands often…
• Wipe down frequently used services…
• Keep your hands away from your eyes…nose… mouth…
• Sneeze and cough into tissues… Then discard immediately.
Eat Correctly.
Right now is not the time for a Junk Food Diet… Or starving ourselves to lose a few pounds.
Let’s use a little common sense… Keep the body well fed and well hydrated. Drink plenty of water. If you are a smoker… STOP. This is a Respiratory Disease!
Get outside.
We can enjoy Spring in the Backyard…At the lake… On a walking or biking trail.
Just stay away from others… Wave… Smile… Say Hi… But keep your distance.
Next… We consider some things that will contribute to our emotional well-being…
Keep informed… We need to know what’s going on around us…
We need to know the latest warnings and advisories by those who are trying to keep us safe.
But… Here is a warning… Don’t allow yourself to become obsessed with this problem.
Again use some common sense. Watching… Fox… CNN… Or other news sources… Reading internet posts… And newspaper articles all day is not good.
Call a friend.
I heard a Social Worker advise the residents of an Assisted Living complex to call five friends each day… Just to check on them and to visit. This keeps us in touch socially.
Social interaction is an important part of life… Don’t ignore this!!
In this same area… Check on the aged who might need… food… Cleaning supplies… Bills paid… House cleaned… Bills paid… Doctor call… Prescriptions picked up… Etc.
It is easy to become preoccupied with the Pandemic to the point that we let other things slide that become detrimental to our health both physically and emotionally.
With the aged… Don’t just ask how they are doing… Ask some leading questions… Find out what’s really going on at their house… And how we might help.
Call a friend today…Especially those in single households!
Next we talk about some best ways for Soul Help… Our Spiritual Well-Being…
Don’t Deny Our Concern.
We must not deny our… Fears… Worries… Anxiousness…Jesus didn’t!!
In the Garden prayer Jesus cried out to the Father asking Him to remove this cup of suffering.
Read Psalm 55… Listen as David poured out his grief to the Lord.
Our faith is not enhanced and strengthened by our denying our feelings…vulnerabilities… and needs.
God wants to hear from us… Tell Him your fears!!
Listen… This problem is real… Putting our head in the sand… Denying our feelings will not help us…Physically… Emotionally… Spiritually.
Scripture tells us to take our concerns to the Lord… Cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you…each and every one of us...
• God/Jesus hurts with us…
• He feels our pain…
• Is touched by our fears.
The Hebrews’ Writer says Our High Priest knows and feels, is touched by our infirmities. He was tried and tempted in all points as we.
Jesus has been there and walks with us.
Isaiah the Prophet says He is familiar with our… Infirmities… Sickness… Diseases.
Know that we are Not alone.
Be still and know that God is present and is in control.
Be still and listen for His voice…Read the Words of comfort from Scripture.
Get a pencil and I’ll give you some Scriptures that tell us God is with us… Ready?...
Take time each day to read verses like…
• John 14.1-6…
• Philippians 4.6-7
• 1 Kings 8.35-40…
• Psalm 23…
• James 5.13-18…
• Matthew 28.18-20
• John 14.23…
• 1 John 3.24…
• Psalm 118.6-8.
Enjoy the Rest…
Scripture indicates that the Sabbath was given to the Jews as a gift from God… He rested… They rested.
Now… We’re dealing with Covid-19… And have been given an opportunity to rest… Take it!!... Be thankful for it.
There’s not one of us that do not need rest in this crisis… Amen?
Praise God for His providing rest in this stressful time.
Here is something to consider… There are those who cannot rest…
• Health Care Workers…
• Doctors…
• Nurses…
• Hospital & Clinic employees…
• Truck Drivers delivering essential goods…
• Manufacturing people…
• Our military and police…
• Fireman and First Responders…
• Grocery store and utility workers…
• Along with others we may not know.
Thank God for them!!!... Pray for them!!!... Ask Him to take care of their need for rest.
OK let’s end these thoughts with some things to consider…
One… We are used to planning ahead… And we become upset when our plans get interrupted.
Well… Here we are… This is happening big-time….
Perhaps we need to hear James in familiar Scripture that we seldom apply…
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Maybe we need to get back to the realization that we will accomplish our plans… Only… ONLY…If it is God’s will… And on His timetable.
This crisis calls for Patience… A fruit of the Spirit.
We are not going to see the end of this crisis in a few days… So as God’s people let’s be ready to add Patience and Perseverance to our Christian Graces.
Thirdly… Coming to Church…. Gathering together… Sunday worship… As important as it is… Is not all that define us as Children of God.
We are also defined by how we live Jesus Christ Monday through Saturday.
I challenge us each to read Colossians 3.12 through 4.6.
In these verses it appears that how we treat others is also an important part of our Christian Walk.
Listen… God is as concerned about our transformation… Into the likeness…Into the image… Of His son Jesus as He is with our Sunday Attendance.
Truth is we can’t belong to Him and not participate in both His walk and worship… Amen?
May god bless Us all
as we STRUGGLE to get through this world crisIs