Like a Lion
This first week of March has been filled with all kinds of...irony. Indulge me a moment, if you will.
The irony is that the saying starts "March comes in like a lion..." If you have watched the news at any length this week, you know that Middle Tennessee was ravaged by deadly tornadoes on Monday night/Tuesday morning. There was some warning, but unfortunately, when you're fast asleep and sirens start blaring at 2 am, your first instinct is not to run to the nearest basement or crawl space. We were under "low threat" all day, but we now see how fast that "low" can turn into "high" in a matter of moments. So much devastation, so much loss. You could definitely say that it was "lion-like".
Fast forward to Thursday morning, the governor makes a press announcement that the first case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Franklin, TN, a mere 30 minutes from my front door. Talk about insult to injury for the state of Tennessee. For my own house, we are already inundated with strep germs and whatever kind of viral infection that keeps passing between Rory and me. This prompted me to *quickly* run to the store for additional Lysol, since we were already almost out from trying to keep the strep germs at bay, only to be met with a panicked mob of Tennesseans who were grabbing up any and all kinds and brands of disinfectants. I was lucky enough to grab the last two cans of Lysol in the store. Seriously.
Once the craziness of my Thursday was lulled and my kids were fast asleep in their beds, I sat down to meditate on some things. The saying about the month of March had been running through my mind all day. Then, another similar phrase started to crop up in my thoughts - "Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 My mind couldn't escape the irony and connection of what has been happening in my state with this passage. How perfectly I can see that what has happened here is absolutely the work of Satan and his powerful attempts to create misery and despair. The overwhelming fear and hopelessness that can come from disasters like weather and illnesses can be debilitating. Now, more than ever, is when I see the desperate need for godly hope and His peace that passes understanding.
My heart hurts for everyone that has experienced loss of any kind this week, whether it be material loss or loss of loved ones. For followers of Christ, we have a hope that defies understanding in this world. We have a hope and faith that this is only a portion of life and the next portion is the true life. This doesn't mean that loss comes without pain though. With any kind of love, there is the risk of pain. It makes me wonder, sometimes, how much pain God suffered watching his own son being persecuted, tortured, beaten and then killed, all by the same beings that He loved enough to sacrifice everything for. For me, that would be an unbearable pain. But it makes it all the more humbling that He endured it for us. For the same humanity that was causing the pain. His love overcame the pain. That's what I've learned this week. My hope and love for what is to come can overcome my fear and pain. "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Please continue to pray for everyone that was effected by these trials this week. They need them desperately. Please also pray that God can be glorified through all the pain and sorrow!
God bless
The irony is that the saying starts "March comes in like a lion..." If you have watched the news at any length this week, you know that Middle Tennessee was ravaged by deadly tornadoes on Monday night/Tuesday morning. There was some warning, but unfortunately, when you're fast asleep and sirens start blaring at 2 am, your first instinct is not to run to the nearest basement or crawl space. We were under "low threat" all day, but we now see how fast that "low" can turn into "high" in a matter of moments. So much devastation, so much loss. You could definitely say that it was "lion-like".
Fast forward to Thursday morning, the governor makes a press announcement that the first case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Franklin, TN, a mere 30 minutes from my front door. Talk about insult to injury for the state of Tennessee. For my own house, we are already inundated with strep germs and whatever kind of viral infection that keeps passing between Rory and me. This prompted me to *quickly* run to the store for additional Lysol, since we were already almost out from trying to keep the strep germs at bay, only to be met with a panicked mob of Tennesseans who were grabbing up any and all kinds and brands of disinfectants. I was lucky enough to grab the last two cans of Lysol in the store. Seriously.
Once the craziness of my Thursday was lulled and my kids were fast asleep in their beds, I sat down to meditate on some things. The saying about the month of March had been running through my mind all day. Then, another similar phrase started to crop up in my thoughts - "Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 My mind couldn't escape the irony and connection of what has been happening in my state with this passage. How perfectly I can see that what has happened here is absolutely the work of Satan and his powerful attempts to create misery and despair. The overwhelming fear and hopelessness that can come from disasters like weather and illnesses can be debilitating. Now, more than ever, is when I see the desperate need for godly hope and His peace that passes understanding.
My heart hurts for everyone that has experienced loss of any kind this week, whether it be material loss or loss of loved ones. For followers of Christ, we have a hope that defies understanding in this world. We have a hope and faith that this is only a portion of life and the next portion is the true life. This doesn't mean that loss comes without pain though. With any kind of love, there is the risk of pain. It makes me wonder, sometimes, how much pain God suffered watching his own son being persecuted, tortured, beaten and then killed, all by the same beings that He loved enough to sacrifice everything for. For me, that would be an unbearable pain. But it makes it all the more humbling that He endured it for us. For the same humanity that was causing the pain. His love overcame the pain. That's what I've learned this week. My hope and love for what is to come can overcome my fear and pain. "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Please continue to pray for everyone that was effected by these trials this week. They need them desperately. Please also pray that God can be glorified through all the pain and sorrow!
God bless
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