The benefit of hindsight of lockdown

I have a confession to make. Looking back, I really enjoyed the first few weeks of lockdown, with a few exceptions. For the first time in ages we had to slow down, we had to re-evaluate our lives and all the things we rush around for had to fall away, and we focused on just the things that really matter to us; keeping in touch with family and friends, taking a daily walk, enjoying the countryside.  I loved the spring weather, beautiful flowers and green leaves budding, the quietness and hearing the birdsong, but most of all having more time to spend with Jesus every day. 

I’m retired so I don’t have the hassle of going to work, but life can nevertheless be pretty busy and now I had space and time.  Others of you may have been seriously challenged with having to work from home and home school your children, or keep bored teenagers in rein. Some of you may have been frightened by the virus or fallen ill but every single one of us has had our life fundamentally shifted.

Some may not have enjoyed the whole lockdown, but I know many have thanked God for it and the ability it has given us to reassess our life and priorities.

This last week I fell back into my old ways, trying to fill every waking moment with something. God had to really speak to me and ask ‘do I really want this or do I want to go back to a more measured life?’ My new normal, my new reset means I am not going to fill every single hour with something but I’m going to slow down, but most of all focus on Jesus, have quality time with him. I need the space to have time to do things well, to think and to spend with people, not squeeze them into my other activities.

So I encourage you, what’s your new normal, what’s your reset. Is it to rush off to the beaches with everyone else, to be first in the queue at the restaurants, pubs and clubs? Or is it to say that this lockdown has had a fundamental effect on my life and one I want to take into my new normal, to live at a more measured, more meaningful, more fruitful pace.

It reminds me of the passage I keep coming back to in Joshua 3: 2 - 4.  After three days the officers went throughout the camp, ³ giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. 

The Israelites had to follow the ark because they had never been that way before. The ark represents for us the presence of God through his Holy Spirit.  If we’re going to follow him effectively, then we must take time to be with him and find out where he is going and what he is doing. None of us have been this way before.

This lockdown has given me the time to re-evaluate my life and it has been liberating. Your life will be different but I hope you too have been able to reassess your priorities and the things that really matter to you. I trust your relationship with God is closer, more trusting and more loving; that you have an increasing revelation of God’s love for you and what he is calling you to.

God has an amazing plan for his people, he is taking us to places we have never been before. The most important thing is that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and that we follow the Holy Spirit.

Presence in the days ahead

God tests our hearts in Life’s transitional moments, because the priorities we set at gear-change times can fix our course for years to come. Peter Grieg Dirty Glory

There is no doubt that this season of virus and lockdown has been a gear-change moment for all of us. Most of us have had the opportunity to re-evaluate our priorities, what and how we spend our time and with whom. Many Christians have taken the opportunity to reconnect with God in fresh ways. This has been an occasion of spiritual encounter and as we have experienced his presence, it has been wonderfully re-invigorating.

The question now is ‘What next?’ As lockdown eases and we start life in our new normal with different working practices, less travel, children starting to return to school, meeting family and friends again, how are these fresh experiences of God, these spiritual encounters and his presence going to affect us? We have two choices I believe. Settle or move on.

When Peter and John were immersed in the glory of the Transfiguration, they wanted to settle and build shelters for everyone. But Jesus had a calling to fulfil. He had not finished his teaching ministry, let alone his ultimate destination of the cross and resurrection. Refreshed he moved on back down the mountain and into his destiny.

We can take our new normal and add the presence of God to it, or we can make the presence of God the priority. I want the presence of God to lead me and shape the days ahead.

Gear change moments are incredibly important. The decisions and practices we establish in this new era, will dictate how life pans out in the future. This may feel like a wonderful new normal, less travel, opportunities for more family and friends time but without the presence of Jesus going before us, they will soon feel just as faded and jaded as the old times. Of course you may be in the midst of great uncertainty with your work, huge stresses with your family but how much more do we need to seek the presence of Jesus to carry us in the insecurities of the days ahead?

As Joshua and the Israelites stood on the banks of the River Jordan ready to move into the Promised Land, this is what happened.

² After three days the officers went throughout the camp, ³ giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. Joshua 3: 2 – 4

None of us have been this way before. We’ve never experienced a virus like this. We’ve never been confined to our homes for weeks before and we’ve come out of this season unsure of the way ahead. However the one thing we must do is follow the presence. God will guide us.

This is the time to discern God’s voice. I believe he is calling each of us into his new normal and that may require stepping out of the boat onto the water.  Not squeezing God into our changed schedules but making God the destination.

Moses got it. Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” Exodus 33: 15 - 18

You see what distinguishes us from everyone else is not going to church, having cleaner lips, spending our money better, being kinder. It is God’s presence. As we seek God for his presence it will overflow into every area of our lives, touching all those we come into contact with.

However like Moses, let us also be people who having experienced his presence now say ‘Show me your glory.’

A New Normal?

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16: 33

There have been all manner of posts, blogs, vlogs extolling the great virtues to us of the effect of the virus on our lives and how it has benefitted the planet – pollution down, wildlife able to roam more freely, the ability to hear birdsong in the quiet and so on. These are all wonderful things though they must be counterbalanced by sickness, death, loss of jobs and an inability to meet family and friends face to face, all of which are taking their toll.

I wondered though about the spiritual benefits and difficulties to Christians and the Church. All the church buildings in UK have had to close but that does not mean the Church has gone into hibernation. In fact it seems that the Church is flourishing.

Many churches are now providing a Sunday service online and even those whose churches do not have a service, have an overwhelming choice to join other church services. Even those with no internet may be provided for with sermons on CD. What is fascinating is how many people watch these online services – far more than go to the church building on a Sunday.

Worship has always been freely available online but now musicians are being incredibly creative in exploring how to knit together musicians and singers separated in person but one virtually. There are some wonderful worship hymns and songs out there. 

Small groups too can easily meet online during the week to strengthen and encourage one another and most churches are being very diligent in making sure their flocks are being looked after in every way. Phone calls, online chats and even popping by to drop off supplies can mean the lonely get to see a familiar face.

Families are meeting together to pray and read the Bible. Churches are having daily devotionals posted online to keep their flock strong. 

Prayer meetings are flourishing online and more people seem to be attending these than would normally go to the church building. Taking communion together online is another novel experience. There are even online Alpha courses. Children are having their own devotionals posted online to keep them strong.

Many, including children, are experiencing visions and dreams – though a word of caution – not everything that says it is from the Lord, is from above. One wise person said to me that there was far too many dubious opinions about the virus, how it started and when it might end, and what God is doing that he is just staying in the Word.

There is also no doubt that people are far more open to the Gospel and the amount of media attention given to the real meaning of Easter here in UK was amazing. The Queen, bless her, can be relied upon to gently but clearly show the importance of her faith and love for the Lord.

All this is fantastic and I love how the Church has stepped up to the challenge in incredibly creative ways to manage this unique situation and come out well. This leads though to the need for an exit strategy for the church as well as the nation. How will church look when we are released back into freedom? If it is business as usual, we have missed something. Surely this is a training time to grow in our own faith when isolated physically from other believers and to find fresh ways to reach more people with the Gospel who might not come through church doors.

New Christians are not used to going to church on Sunday mornings and may prefer to have an online church at a different time. Parents of young children will certainly like online small groups meaning they do not need babysitters.

An online Alpha course where you and your friend can meet together with others may be very appealing to those unused to church.

If more people prefer online prayer and let’s face it there has never been as much prayer as there is now, this has to be something to pursue. I have been involved in an online prayer meeting for years, long before the virus broke out, and we come together each week from all over the UK and even aboard.

The options available to the Church seem to be limitless and I feel it is so important that we pray into the future and what our own church needs to be exploring and how the Church in the nation needs to maintain the momentum generated by this crisis and resist every temptation to go back to how things were before.  There is no doubt this is a new day, a new season, no turning back, no turning back. This is the day for a new normal.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.²⁰ The wild animals honour me, the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen ²¹ the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise. Isaiah 43: 19 – 21