Reflections

I suspect many people are living with an increased sense of anxiety.  How's that for an understatement?  We are dealing with something that is unknown.  We do not have a road map to navigate through a Coronavirus pandemic.  But on the other hand, we do not have road maps for many things we encounter in life.
I have caught myself thinking more on the line of "what if's" regarding Covid-19 than staying grounded in faith and hope.  Today I am realizing again how important it is to not focus on an unknown future but to find grounding in our faith.
If you pay too much attention to "what ifs" you will find anxiety rising.  The anxiety is not too many steps from fear.  Fear will paralyze you.
I encourage you to think about times when God stepped forth and took you in his arms of grace.  Let me give you an example
When I was a little boy, not even sure if I had started to school yet, we lived on a farm.  In those days there would be an occasional farm sale.  The community would gather.  They would auction everything imaginable.  Someone would have a food stand selling hamburgers.  It was a family affair.  Kids were there as well as adults.  I was at one of those and while the business was taking place the kids were running around playing.
There were probably a hand full of us playing together.  We went in the barn and climbed a wooden ladder up to the barn loft. (If you are a city person I know that probably does not communicate.  Barns had two levels.  In the loft the hay was kept.  It would have been a few feet above the ground level.)
Anyway, we climbed up into the loft.  We ran around there for a little bit and then it was off to the next thing.  But when it came time to climb down, I froze.  Once we climbed up that wooden ladder that was attached to the wall, we entered a small space and then stepped to the floor.  But now as it was time to step back to the ladder, the distance from the floor to the ladder seemed insurmountable to me.  It was probably just a few feet.  It would be easy to step across the opening to the ladder but in the moment it seemed too far for me to reach.  I froze.  It was fear.  I was stuck in the barn loft.
The other kids went down the ladder.  I was alone.
Someone feels that way today with regard to Caronavirus and being isolated.
In just a few minutes I heard people coming back.  Then I saw my dad climbing up the ladder and up through the opening to the barn loft.  I'm guessing he was in his 20's.  He seemed like the biggest, strongest person in the world.  And there he was.  As best I can remember, he held out his arm.  I went to him.  He took me in his arm and down the ladder we went.  Then he let me down and off I went to keep playing with the others.
Funny how we recall things like that when we stop and think.  That was 60 years ago!  It may be the first time I recognized being saved from fear.
It has happened many times since.  A week ago a phone called delivered me from anxiety.  It really does not take great effort to be part of God's rescue mission.
We are staying at home.  We hear and read frightening reports from all over the world.  We live in uncertainty.  These are dangerous times.
Here is what I invite you to do today.
Recognize when you are letting your mind drift toward a fearful future.
Stop and say a brief prayer.  Remember our "Lord give me faith and hope to overwhelm fear and panic" prayer.
Ask God to remind you of a time you were rescued, saved, delivered...
Now rest yourself in the strong arms of our Heavenly Father.
He carries you down the ladder.
He sets you free.
Go play.
Go make a call to another and be part of God's rescue from fear.
This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
steve