"Special At-Home Worship Service #10"

We wanted to let everyone know that we did not meet together physically as a congregation this week because we wanted to protect our FCC family from any ripple effects from the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). But we did upload a “phoned-in service” for people to watch, as well as providing another “at-home” devotional for households to go through together.

We understand that it's hard to feel disconnected at this time when so many people are panicking and living in fear -- and maybe even feeling alone and vulnerable -- but we also know that the best way that we can keep one another safe is to prevent the spread of infection. That’s why we’ve been sending daily emails to everyone in the church family to help people know that we’re thinking of everyone.

With that in mind, we wanted to build on what Sara shared last week and remind one another that our lives are not “on hold” -- in fact, our lives are never “on hold” in life. Abram waited on God for 25 years for his answer to prayer. Moses tends flocks in Midian for 40 years. Joseph waited in prison for 10 years. Paul waited in prison for years on the way to his own execution! But none of their lives were “on hold” while they waited.

See, God used those times to sculpt these men into the people that He wanted them to be. Moses needed “Pharaoh’s household” on his resumé for the new Pharaoh to even listen to him, but what the people really needed was a trained shepherd. Joseph had always been “special” throughout his life, but what his family really needed to find later was a wise and humbled leader. Paul had always been a great teacher and pastor, but what the church really needed was for him to be forced to stop and write letters when he’d rather have been personally, physically visiting churches -- letters that we can still be learning from two millennia later.

There’s what we plan, and there’s what God plans. I’m pretty sure that He’s better at it than we are, so let’s lean into God’s planning and trust in His wisdom. Instead of grumping that our lives are “on hold” and wanting to get back to “normalcy” in our lives, let’s try asking God what He’s wanting to sculpt in us and in our church today that will last long after our COVID seclusion is over…