Take Heart: Series Wrap Up

I spent some time last week in Genesis 6, 7 and 8 – the story of Noah and the flood. A couple of things stood out to me in a new way since being stuck at home for the last few weeks.

Genesis 7:4, “Seven days from now I will make it rain…” God sent Noah and and his family to the ark a whole week before the flood began!

Genesis 7:12, “…rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights…” That’s just about six weeks of a raging storm.

Genesis 7:24, “And the water surged on the earth 150 days.” The storm had ended, the trouble passed, but the effects remained in place for awhile.

Take Heart

All this month on the blog we’ve been looking at practical ways to live and love through the trouble we face in the world. There is a light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel as states are beginning to open back up, flatten the curve, and otherwise return to normal operations.

But whether it’s this or something else, trouble is one thing we can always expect. Jesus promised it, as certainly as he promised us peace and courage to see that trouble through.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Ali reminded us to Leap into the Word, to grow our confidence in an unshakeable God. David faced Goliath without fear because he’d spent enough time with God to know His character. His courage came from understanding that God is trustworthy and good. Ultimately it wasn’t up to David to defeat Goliath. “Though Satan comes to do things like rob us of joy, paralyze us with fear, and destroy our peace and trust, Jesus has come so that we might have abundant life in Him— regardless of our circumstances. (See John 10:10)”

God “knows how to turn hopeless scenarios into extraordinary miracles. And as God did in the past, He can also do today,” He uses us to Reach One At A Time. The needs are overwhelming, but Lisa shared the example of Jesus going broad – reaching out to people as he encountered them, and deep – investing in and developing the relationships among those closest to him because “the more we connect with our community now, the stronger our relationships will be when we come out of quarantine.”

Jennifer’s post, Never Alone, reminded us that “the presence of Christ brings peace”. Matthew’s gospel begins (Matthew 1;23) and ends (Matthew 28:20) with the assurance that Jesus is God with us.

Cheli helped us grapple with grief by defining what it means to lament. (Seasons of Lament: Embracing Grief and Hope) “A lament gives us space to mourn, encourages us to reach up and out and spurs us towards steps of faith.”

We shared prayers, Psalms, songs, stories, and past posts in hopes of providing something tangible for our community to use through this time of crisis.

God Remembers

Genesis 8:1, “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.”

Noah and his family spent a long time sheltering in place, waiting for the storm to pass, and the waters to subside. But they were never alone, never forgotten, never out of reach. That is the message we need to hold on to and share with the suffering. Pain, trials, challenges, and difficulties are inevitable. We will have trouble. But Jesus has overcome the world.