Corona Devo 13
Have you ever had the feeling you are being watched? That can feel eerie, or unsettling.
Sometimes (if we admit it), we want to be watched. Isn't that what Facebook is often about? Or the stories we share (brag) about to family or friends about us or our kids. We like the attention.
But the "attention and influence" that I feel like the Lord is reminding us to be aware of today is neither of those scenarios.
In the Bible, in the book of Acts, Chapter 16, two followers of Jesus (Paul and Silas) were traveling from place to place, teaching others about Jesus. They ran into a couple of shady guys and Paul and Silas put a stop to an unethical business that the guys were running. This upset the bad guys. They managed to talk the authorities into having Paul and Silas thrown into jail. But even worse:
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. ~Acts 16:22-24
I see an imprisonment parallel between us and Paul and Silas. The Corona stay-at-home-orders, curfews, and school and businesses closures have us feeling confined. We cannot see friends and family--for prudent and proactive reasons, but still, it removes us from our relationships, and day to day (and day after day!), this can begin to feel like jail in our minds and in our spirits.
And is it just me, or are our homes beginning to feel a little bit like a prison? As a Nation, and as individuals, we have never had a time in our lives when we were "told to stay home". Again, I support those in leadership over our states and Country, and I understand the reasoning and value of staying home. (Stay home!). But on an emotional level, we are still human, and we (were) used to community and relationships and the freedom to gallivant around at will.
So, Yes, many of us are feeling a bit imprisoned, possibly on multiple levels.
I challenge us to look to Paul and Silas as an example for us in how to live right now (today!), and why.
Paul and Silas literally had just been "severely flogged" and beaten with rods (Acts 16:22-23).
Let's get real--we are NOT in that situation.
But I am challenged and encouraged by how they chose to move forward in their hardship, their imprisonment, and their example to others.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God... ~Acts 16:25
How are we responding to the Corona-circus in our minds and in our houses, and in our world? Paul and Silas were in more dire circumstances than us, and yet they were "praying and singing hymns to God".
Have you tried that? There is healing in that prescription. When we pray, we simply talk to God about our worries, frustrations, fears, and also our joys, and what we are thankful for. That's prayer! No third party needed, no elegant speech required. Just honesty and humility. Prayer is powerful--and if done correctly, it is almost impossible to stay focused on ourselves while praying to God. And once we switch the focus to Him and off of ourselves, things in our lives change, because we change.
Beyond prayer, Paul and Silas were "singing hymns to God". This is a mood-changer for sure! And in today's day and age, whether we are stuck in our homes or not, there are so many places to find music. I love the older hymns (that put my kids to sleep). I could listen all day to hymns like "I have decided to follow Jesus", and "The Old Rugged Cross". But contemporary Christian music also will grab your heart if you let it. Jesus never said what the tempo had to be like, He just loves to hear our voices lifted to Him. (I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving. ~Psalm 69:30)
The last piece of today's verse is my favorite portion. I have read this scripture many times before, but I have never noticed this part: "and the other prisoners were listening to them." ~Acts 16:25
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ~Acts 16:25
This is the WHY of living for Christ today and throughout the Corona-"imprisonment" and for the rest of our lives. Because others are listening to what we say, and watching what we do. Others are waiting to see if we sing or if we constantly complain and worry (where is the faith in that?).
Others are looking for an example of God's hope and purpose during this time. We can be that to others. Others can be that us.
The other “prisoners” are listening to us.
Let’s work on “praying and singing hymns to God” today-whatever that looks like for each of us!.
Blessings,
sarah
Sometimes (if we admit it), we want to be watched. Isn't that what Facebook is often about? Or the stories we share (brag) about to family or friends about us or our kids. We like the attention.
But the "attention and influence" that I feel like the Lord is reminding us to be aware of today is neither of those scenarios.
In the Bible, in the book of Acts, Chapter 16, two followers of Jesus (Paul and Silas) were traveling from place to place, teaching others about Jesus. They ran into a couple of shady guys and Paul and Silas put a stop to an unethical business that the guys were running. This upset the bad guys. They managed to talk the authorities into having Paul and Silas thrown into jail. But even worse:
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. ~Acts 16:22-24
I see an imprisonment parallel between us and Paul and Silas. The Corona stay-at-home-orders, curfews, and school and businesses closures have us feeling confined. We cannot see friends and family--for prudent and proactive reasons, but still, it removes us from our relationships, and day to day (and day after day!), this can begin to feel like jail in our minds and in our spirits.
And is it just me, or are our homes beginning to feel a little bit like a prison? As a Nation, and as individuals, we have never had a time in our lives when we were "told to stay home". Again, I support those in leadership over our states and Country, and I understand the reasoning and value of staying home. (Stay home!). But on an emotional level, we are still human, and we (were) used to community and relationships and the freedom to gallivant around at will.
So, Yes, many of us are feeling a bit imprisoned, possibly on multiple levels.
I challenge us to look to Paul and Silas as an example for us in how to live right now (today!), and why.
Paul and Silas literally had just been "severely flogged" and beaten with rods (Acts 16:22-23).
Let's get real--we are NOT in that situation.
But I am challenged and encouraged by how they chose to move forward in their hardship, their imprisonment, and their example to others.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God... ~Acts 16:25
How are we responding to the Corona-circus in our minds and in our houses, and in our world? Paul and Silas were in more dire circumstances than us, and yet they were "praying and singing hymns to God".
Have you tried that? There is healing in that prescription. When we pray, we simply talk to God about our worries, frustrations, fears, and also our joys, and what we are thankful for. That's prayer! No third party needed, no elegant speech required. Just honesty and humility. Prayer is powerful--and if done correctly, it is almost impossible to stay focused on ourselves while praying to God. And once we switch the focus to Him and off of ourselves, things in our lives change, because we change.
Beyond prayer, Paul and Silas were "singing hymns to God". This is a mood-changer for sure! And in today's day and age, whether we are stuck in our homes or not, there are so many places to find music. I love the older hymns (that put my kids to sleep). I could listen all day to hymns like "I have decided to follow Jesus", and "The Old Rugged Cross". But contemporary Christian music also will grab your heart if you let it. Jesus never said what the tempo had to be like, He just loves to hear our voices lifted to Him. (I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving. ~Psalm 69:30)
The last piece of today's verse is my favorite portion. I have read this scripture many times before, but I have never noticed this part: "and the other prisoners were listening to them." ~Acts 16:25
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ~Acts 16:25
This is the WHY of living for Christ today and throughout the Corona-"imprisonment" and for the rest of our lives. Because others are listening to what we say, and watching what we do. Others are waiting to see if we sing or if we constantly complain and worry (where is the faith in that?).
Others are looking for an example of God's hope and purpose during this time. We can be that to others. Others can be that us.
The other “prisoners” are listening to us.
Let’s work on “praying and singing hymns to God” today-whatever that looks like for each of us!.
Blessings,
sarah
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