Mountaintop Musings: Resurrection Reality!

During these insane days of government overreach, medical hysteria and misinformation, bogus computer models, consistency in the lies and attacks from communist groups both outside and within the U.S.A. I have marveled at the willingness of the people to give up their freedoms and economic power. If there is one thing I have learned from these days, it is that none of us have all the knowledge, information and answers for even the smallest of the world's problems. Throw in a COVID-19 train running down the tracks with no airbrakes and wow! What's a fella or gal to do?

Well for me I did pretty much what I usually do. Sure, things changed for a bit, but normalcy will return. The biggest change for me was not being able to meet for Bible studies with folk. That has been a tough one for me. I must say I love getting together with people and helping them learn about Biblical things. Who is God? Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Is God the author of all the world's pain? Why is there so much death and war in the world? What does God expect from me? Well you get the picture.

I still did a bit of home visitation, that is what I like to do. But many people were so fearful of that it was not near what I usually do. I have seen some real fear and tension in people, and I imagine you have too. Maybe you have seen it most when you looked in the mirror? Times of great fear often bring people to their senses. Brings them back to the fundamentals of our very existence. Helps them evaluate and discover what their core values are and how that plays out in living the few days we are allocated. Because we all know, our days here on earth are short. You do not know when the life clock will stop, and the next phase of your existence begins.

Maybe these past few weeks you have picked up a Bible and read some of it for the first time in years. Or possibly went to a church. Of course, that would have been online due to the constitution breaking mandates of not meeting for worship that unfortunately most churches adhered to. Think about it, you can go to Walmart but not church, or in some states fishing, or the parks! No matter, I hope that millions of people who only think of God or Jesus Christ when they get a speeding ticket, run out of gas, or stub their toe took the opportunity this slowdown has presented to them and did some investigating.

You know the Bible has a lot to say about worry. Philippians 4: 6-7 is a great starting point: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If you are a regular reader of this column that verse will look familiar. It is one that I often share. Another good one is 1 Peter 5:7: "casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."

So as things start to get back to normal, I hope that for many the new normal will be a better normal. Maybe this time period will be remembered in history as another Great Awakening. That was a time in the 1730's and 40's where people repented and turned back to the God of the Bible. We could certainly use that type of spiritual awakening. Maybe we will value our friends and family more. Maybe we will decide our freedoms and Constitution are worth fighting for. Maybe we will decide big government and business does not have our best interests at heart. Maybe we will get back to valuing life a little more, both in the womb and in the nursing home.

(Dave & Lisa Carroll are area missionaries with InFaith America's oldest Christian home mission agency. You can contact Dave at 406.459.8935.)