This Beautiful Mundane

  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 In preparing for my wedding, and moving from Illinois to Minnesota, I have been overwhelmed many times. As I was driving to get coffee before starting work this morning, I was listening to the local Christian talk radio station. Chuck Swindoll was giving an introduction to a sermon on Ephesians 1:15-19. He was speaking of the faith of the Ephesian church, how Paul was giving thanks for their faith.  I turned off the radio as I drove under the overpass on the way to my house, and something clicked in my mind and heart, almost in surprise I exclaimed,  "Lord, I've been leaning on my own understanding!"  How often do I quote that verse from Proverbs, even while I am still leaning on my own understanding? This is not just applicable in situations where I need to make a decision (as I so often treat it) rather it

 When the world cries, "Pandemic!"  How ought we to, as believers, respond? I posted back in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as this has continued to drag on, I have thought more and more about what I said.  (Here is the link for reference:   A Challenge to the Church - March 2020 ) What I originally wrote was in response to the ridicule that I was seeing from those who did not take the virus seriously, it felt to me that there was much unkindness coming from that side towards those who chose to wear masks. As the months have slipped by, I have continued to see heated comments and debates from mask-wearers, and mask-abstainers. (As well as social distancing, whether or not businesses should be open, groups allowed to gather, etc.,) Beloved brothers and sisters, this is not what we have been called to. Whether someone wears a mask or not doesn't change the fact that they are created in the image of God, and worthy of the dignity and respect that glorifies their Cre