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Devotional | Kim Gilliam | Mar 22, 2020
It’s 11:59 a.m. I’ve had three cups of coffee, some sushi, and some chips and salsa…and as I put it in writing, I’m suddenly very aware of how weird it sounds. I also haven’t worn real pants that button in six days, which, I acknowledge, can’t be good as I say it out loud, either!
My twin daughters are home from college for what they thought would be a time filled with spring break and their birthday celebration. My son and my husband continue to go to work, so I’m spraying Lysol and giving hand sanitizer at the door. And, if I’m being honest this morning, I probably didn’t buy enough toilet paper.
I imagine that you and I have lives that look a lot more alike than they did ten days ago. Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, a country that has been focused on things that divide us has stopped, and we are now standing on common ground.
As we navigate these days of the new and unknown, fear and anxiety are at an all-time high. In our humanity, we are prone to do one of two things with fear: ignore it or give it wings. As Christ-followers, God tells us there’s a third–and best–option. In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Freedom and truth go hand in hand. That third option calls us to lay fear at the foot of the cross, trusting God to be God and to give freedom like only he can.
When our world feels like it’s spinning out of control, God is not. He is unchanging. His promises still remain. His character is uncompromised. His Word is always truth. Ephesians 6:14 tells us “to stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.”
What if our families leaned more into that truth right now than we ever have? What if we used this time to re-center our lives on Jesus?
What if the next time my teenager feels shaken by that post she reads on Twitter, or my preschooler is scared, we bind it up with Psalm 56:3 and we pray: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
What if when I feel like sharing my fears on Facebook, instead I recite Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
And then I pray. And trust. And then do it again.
What if the next time I feel alone or forgotten, I recall Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Then I rest in the Father’s arms.
In a time of uncertainty and confusion, let’s press in and trust God’s Word to be the unchanging and transforming truth it is!
Thank you for giving us your unchanging Word, so we don’t have to wonder who to trust and what is true. Your Word is THE unchanging truth which brings comfort and clarity. Father, thank you that you are with us, and yet have also gone before us, to make a way like only you can do. Father, we trust you and press into you more now than ever. When fear and confusion arise, please bring to mind the truth hidden inside of us long ago for such a time as this.
In Jesus' name
Amen.