With a website declaring Big God and having prevously written a series God is Good why have I not posted something here on the current pandemic (madness?) sweeping the world? On other occassions I have made bold comments, such as Divided Kingdom. Well, been swept along with other things - the first 3 months of 2020 have, unexpectedly, gone very quickly.
Well, 2019 was rollercoaster scary ride, felt like I had been ejected from a canon and did not know where I was going to land. Still on the journey, still not aligned with the landing site, but it has all gone quiet...
Looking back at some of the things I wrote last year - do I need to add anything for this 2020 Season if Hope?
- Transitioning in hope - Bethel - a Deeper Trust
- During the Time of
- Living by Faith or Living in Fear
Well, organised Church life has stopped - all events / activities cancelled, special arrangements put in place to continue supporting those for whom normal life is a struggle.
For me there's a personal sense of trauma. One church I call home, Father God has made it plain to stay there until ..., at another I hang around so much people do wonder! Not having been part of a connect / house group at either for many years a big chunk of my social life has disappeared!
But then I look back at the previous 2 weeks before 'the social plug was pulled' and remember the places He has taken me, the things He has shown me, the ideas He has given me. I belong to Jesus, He is sold out for me, I am His responsibility.
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them ...
Psalm 23:1 Yahweh is my shepherd ...
For someone with a background of inferiority and rejection the words of Jesus My sheep hear my voice (John 10) and of Peter They will prophesy (Acts 2) strike fear as the words of Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful come to mind and I am afraid to respond to the shepherds voice. But Jeremiah goes on the pray Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved (17:14). In answer to Jeremiah's prayer John the Baptist prophesied Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low, the crooked ways shall become straight, the rough ways smooth and all mankind will see God's salvation (Luke 3:5-6), Jesus came declaring freedom for the inferior ... release for the rejected (Luke 4:18-19), Jesus promised that He and God the Father will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:23), Paul declared we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us (1 Corinthians 2:12) and God has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).
So, back to where I started. After last year I wondered what 2020 held. Again, like 2019, a blank sheet. Only one thing would stir my enthusiasm, but stuck, and repeating other things from last year did not appeal.
Similar to this time in 2019, calm at the end of one thing (a milestone) about to be catapulted into ...
For must be nearly 3 years now I have had a continual sense that 2020 might be significant - personal hopes / dreams fulfilled, something else, I don't know. Are these from Father God or the meanderings of a madman (see above!)?
Many in the church have spoken of 2020 as beginning of a time of unparalleled breakthrough (similar 2000, 2010, don't recall? - this seems loud to me). 2 Chronicles 20:20 Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful has been repeated often (bandwagon / copycats?). Who are prophetic voices of credibility? 1 Corinthians 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak and the others should weigh carefully what is said - might take longer than a few minutes on a Sunday to weigh these prophecies!
Something been on my mind recently - the Sabbath - what does it mean, how to do it, when to do it.
In that connection the word reset has been mentioned in a number of places.
Is the current pandemic a season of reset? See 2 Chronicles 36:21 the land enjoyed its sabbath rests.
Check these links out:
Chuck Pierce - A Time to Pause: The Healer is Here!