Unless you have been living deep in the woods with no form of communication or media, this has been quite a week for most of us.
The week has been dominated with the news of the coronavirus and its domino effect on the economy, fear of the unknown, and a more than general state of disruption to our individual and collective lives.
The stock market teetered like tall buildings in an earthquake, swaying back and forth not knowing if or when a crash would occur or how long the volatility would last. Stay tuned as the tremors continue.
While delivering an online sermon this week my pastor described the stock market’s behavior as a “person with an unstable personality” and not knowing which person would show up in the conversation.
Everywhere one turned the “C” word, coronavirus, was either on the tip of our tongues or on the front of our minds.
Like me, I am sure you wish you had a $1 for every time you heard the “C” word this week. Those “earnings” invested back into the economy would certainly lend to some financial stability.
From a personal perspective the work week was increasingly disruptive. I work for a major healthcare institution and much to the credit of the leadership, contingency planning for an event like this has been in motion for a sustained period of time. The effects became real to the workforce as plans were set in motion to have people work from home where possible and to socially distance themselves as a means of keeping any potential virus among us from spreading. Although plans have not yet been finalized, the office became more like a ghost town than it did a place of employment.
My wife is a teacher and her school like all schools in our state, are closed at a minimum for the next two weeks at the directive of our state’s governor. Plans are in motion for the proverbial Plan B and how to move forward from here. I can attest to the fact it has been disruptive to her school and to her personal planning as they are in scramble mode.
Church services went to online only options as a means of doing their part in partnering with civil authorities and in potentially keeping the virus from further spreading.
While I am it, let’s touch a place where many of us find solace and where our attention is frequently diverted. The world of sports has essentially ceased and desisted.
March Madness™ is a great description of the general state of chaos happening in our midst.
March Madness™ also describes the annual men’s and women’s NCAA college basketball tournament which would have started this coming week. The decision was made to cancel the tournaments altogether. Consider this bonus; you won’t lose sleep over your bracket choices not panning out as you would have hoped.
The world of professional sports followed suit when the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, the Master’s golf tournament, and many other sports associations suspended play in consideration of the crisis.
If or when play might resume is a question which remains unanswered. Arenas and stadiums are empty. I know some of you, like me, might be going through withdrawal symptoms without your daily dose of sports. Keep calm, it’s going to be OK.
President Trump officially declared a state of National Emergency late in the week and later declared Sunday, March 15th, to be a National Day of Prayer in response to asking God’s intervention and wisdom in the midst of these tumultuous times.
Today we have the internet and when news occurs we know it instantly. When I was a kid, Saturday morning cartoons or radio broadcasts were interrupted by tests of the Emergency Broadcast System.
The Emergency Broadcast System was established to provide the President of the United States with an expeditious method of communicating with the American public in the event of war, threat of war, or grave national crisis. Today we have 24 x 7 news cycles to keep us informed.
The TV or radio program was interrupted by a pre-recorded statement which went like this.
“This is a test. For the next sixty seconds, this station will conduct a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.“
When played, a loud, audible sound occurred to get one’s attention and in turn the announcer indicated where one can turn for further instructions if indeed a true emergency existed.
Can I get real with you and offer my thoughts on the matter?
I personally believe a giant, reset button is being pressed and we would be wise to ponder our personal and collective steps at this time. I believe it is time to evaluate where our priorities rest and to make sure our lives are built on solid foundations.
As to those empty arenas and stadiums, I am going to go out on a limb here. I see them filled to capacity with people not to watch a sporting event, but to participate in massive gatherings like the ones attended recently in Brazil. They will be times when God is intentionally sought, both personally and collectively.
Much like the loud, audible sound heard when listening to the test of Emergency Broadcast System, I believe God is using the current situation to get our attention and He is declaring to us,
“This is a test, this is only a test.”
He is setting the stage and requiring our attention to be focused on Him and Him alone, both in these times of crisis and in our day to day lives outside of a crisis.
Like a loving Father, His word provides instruction on how to lower your anchor in the midst of a storm and to be at peace. He offers Himself to us as the Prince of Peace.
“I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous! (John 14:27 – The Passion Translation)
As the current crisis unfolds, you may find your heart troubled or in a place of unrest. I’d like to ask you a question,
On which foundation is your house built?
With the outbreak of the coronavirus, the stock market trembling, and your day to day life incurring disruption there is a foundation on which you can rest.
He is and wants to be the solid rock on which your house is built. Despite the winds of this crisis beating against the foundation you can rest assured that a foundation built on Him won’t collapse.
However, trusting in any foundation built on anything other than Him is a guarantee of that in which you might trust collapsing.
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27 NLT)
As I stated earlier, “this is a test, this is only a test.”
Much like a fire drill prepares school children (or adults) to know how to respond when an actual fire might occur, tests like the one we are currently experiencing typically prepare us for times when something much greater is at stake.
Perhaps it is time to position ourselves to pass the test. I would encourage you to consider asking yourself and answering the question,
“On which foundation is my house built?”
He gives us the answer. The questions remains for each of us to answer the question.
I hope you found some value and encouragement in these thoughts and words. If so, I would ask you pay it forward and share it with others who might need to hear it via your social media outlets.
By the way, don’t forget to wash your hands – often!