4-7-20<\/p>\n
It\u2019s me, again, God. Rather, it\u2019s us.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll remember us from Christmas. We prayed then, too; or repeated the prayers and sang those familiar hymns. Of course you\u2019ll remember us \u2013 You\u2019re God! I hope it doesn\u2019t look bad that some of us only come to You on Christmas and Easter\u2026 or when things are going really bad down here.<\/p>\n
Things are going really bad down here.<\/p>\n
But here we are. I trust you to know us, Lord, like I said. I mean, when my kids were not perfect, and then they tried to hide, I just loved them all the more, and wanted to hug them and hear what was wrong. You\u2019re a loving Father, too. I know that. There are some things I learned from Bible stories!<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a coincidence, maybe, this being Holy Week before Easter; and this awful virus sweeping the world. You don\u2019t bring death and disease, but we have two reasons right now to run to you, and get hugs. Please open Your arms.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a little weird. On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and maybe He knew what was coming, but His disciples didn\u2019t. The people in the streets didn\u2019t. And this virus thing\u2026 we don\u2019t know what\u2019s coming for us, either. We don\u2019t, our families don\u2019t, our neighbors don\u2019t, our country doesn\u2019t, the world doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Can you read our hearts, God? Do you know that we\u2019re afraid? Even if we don\u2019t pray often, or pray enough, or pray fancy\u2026 You do read the prayers in our hearts, don\u2019t You? When my kids on my lap could do nothing but cry, I loved them more and hugged them tighter. I think I was doing what You do.<\/p>\n
I have another favor to ask, God. The other day, on the phone with a friend, I said that I trusted You. We were talking about this virus, and he said, \u201cWell, you\u2019d better trust masks and quarantines and soaps and doctors and scientists too!\u201d Oh, sure, I said.<\/p>\n
Later, I thought, do<\/em> I trust all those things? No\u2026 actually, I only hope. Can I trust You and at the same time trust masks and vaccines too? Sure. If I put all<\/em> my trust in them, does that mean I trust You too? I guess not.<\/p>\n Your people down here had it straight, once, or a little clearer. I mean, our coins don\u2019t say \u201cIn Masks We Trust,\u201d nor does the Pledge have the words, \u201cOne Nation Under Vaccines.\u201d We knew where our strength and trust and wisdom came from. If you bless me \u2013 I mean all of us down here, please \u2013 with some of that strength and trust and wisdom, maybe we\u2019ll be better children of Yours. Even before next Christmas.<\/p>\n As you see us through this epidemic.<\/p>\n In the meantime, God\u2026 hug us a little tighter, please.<\/p>\n + + +<\/p>\n