Verses from Scripture and lines from literature have been coming to my mind in the past few weeks. From Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times,” is one from literature that occurs to me on occasion. From Scripture, Deuteronomy 31:6 has been prominent: “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”
Now I don’t mean to compare our current situation with the French Revolution or the Dickens’ story about that time. Nor do I want to suggest that we are facing the same type of situation that Joshua and the Israelites faced as they approached Jericho. Our time is our own and our experience is our own. For most of us, however, this time of pandemic, self-isolation and social distancing is a time such as we have never known before; we are sharing a global situation that we have never experienced before. We may have seen it depicted in movies or read of it in books but this is not something most of us have actually lived.
And, while it is of the utmost importance to abide by the protocols put in place by the authorities to protect all of us, it is nevertheless true that some of us may be frightened, some of us may be lonely, some of us will be feeling anxious or worried about the future and many of us will be feeling restless. It is at such times that I remember the words of Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Take comfort in knowing that we are not alone in this; God is steadfast in his love and his care for us. Continue to pray for one another, for front-line workers and for the world. Stay connected. We will get through this time together with faith, hope and love.