Meat for the Hungry

During this COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been humbled by all the selfless acts I see of people who work in healthcare, food service—either restaurants or grocery stores, US mail, all delivery personnel, etc. and I know this list isn’t complete. Countless individuals risk their personal safety so we can keep ours. Thank you! And thank you to those amazing volunteers who use their creative skills to help others. Some sew masks, give balcony concerts, send encouraging or prayer-filled notes and texts, or hand out/deliver food and groceries to the needy. Others pray without ceasing. [1] I’m blown away by the good works, and it causes me to glorify my Father in heaven [2] . But it also causes me to ask why? Why do we do good ? And why do times of crisis bring out the “ good ” in humanity? Some might say this is what we’re taught and what we pass on to the next generation. True. We teach our children to do good, to share, to wait their turn, and to be kind to others. We discipline ...

Let’s use the next seven days leading into our Resurrection Day Celebration to pray for our world, our country, its leaders, AND those affected in any way by COVID-19, the victims, workers, residents of each state and nation.  DAY 1 O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments. We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments… O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face…because of the unfaithfulness which we have committed against You.  O Lord, to us, belong shame of face…because we have sinned against YOU. To the Lord, our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us THROUGH HIS WORD. Yes, all THE WORLD has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as no...

Painting by Sara Hancock (used with permission) COVID-19 and the state of emergencies have caused widespread distress. Fear and anxiety are rampant, and bordering on panic. Rapidly dwindling stock in stores has amplified fear. I must admit, when I saw Dollar General’s empty shelves, it unnerved me. In fact, I teared up as I realized just how much our lives have changed in only a few days. When we should be focusing on our upcoming Resurrection Day celebrations, we are smacked in the face with a pandemic and FEAR. In response, some believers have shouted the first part of II Timothy 1:7, saying, “The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear ...” While this is true, these believe we should not cancel church, etc. because we can trust God to keep us healthy. God is able to keep us healthy just as he was able to keep the three Hebrews safe in the fiery furnace. [1] But, the world sees this as being irresponsible.