Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you REST. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am [GENTLE] and lowly in heart: and ye shall find REST unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (KJV)
Pastor Jermine Alberty from Pathways to Promise reminded us in his sermon on Sunday, March 22, 2020, , that “It’s OK not to be OK” right now:
It’s OK, if you don’t feel OK.
It’s OK if you don’t know how to feel OK right now.
And it’s OK if you feel OK, even when everybody around you doesn’t seem OK.
It’s OK, if you don’t feel OK.
It’s not quite biblical. But the bottom line is this.
It’s OK.
Even if it doesn’t seem OK.
Not so much because we are OK.
But because God is so much more than OK.
God is GREAT!!
… And God is GOOD.
And God provides us with more than just FOOD.
You know the Table Prayer, of course:
God is GREAT. And God is GOOD. Let us thank God for our FOOD.
But God provides us with far more than just FOOD.
No matter what. In every need. With every situation.
No matter what a virus can throw at us. In every need that we face with self-quarantine. In every situation where social distancing complicates our lives.
God Will Take Care of You. Right, Mahalia Jackson?
(You might just want to let this play in the background while reading. Click above and start the YouTube video and then click back to this blog post ...)
Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you
Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you
God will take care of you, Through every day, o'er all the way
He will take care of you, God will take care of you
So, how do we do that? Let God take care of us? How do we relax? Remember that it is okay? Let Christ carry our burdens? ... so that we might …
Deliver CONFIDENCE, COMPASSION, and COMPANIONSHIP into a WORLD that is tremendously anxious?
How do we remember, as often as we can, that God is our REFUGE & STRENGTH, a very present help in times of trouble?
I think I will be learning much more about this question in the days and weeks to come. Don't you? Delivering CONFIDENCE, COMPASSION and COMPANIONSHIP into a WORLD that is tremendously anxious ... requires from us ... Differentiation.
If the world is anxious? How can we cling to a DIFFERENCE and practice PEACE?
If the world is anxious? How can we cling to a DIFFERENCE that trusts that God will take care of me ... and you ... and us ... and them too?
If the world is anxious? How can we cling to a DIFFERENCE that allows us to experience CONFIDENCE, COMPASSION, and COMPANIONSHIP?
I know one thing. It starts with allowing myself to RESET. To REFOCUS. And to RESTART. The only blessing I ever find in my anxiety ... is that it allows me to notice when something is WRONG. And to RESET. To REFOCUS. And to RESTART.
I can be a bit of a baby when it comes to my health. How about you? Tending to my HEALTH is not something I do naturally or easily. My spiritual health. My physical health. My dental health especially. I seem to fight doing what is healthy. It think I remember the Apostle Paul saying something about that too. In the whole 7th Chapter of Romans, but especially verse 19: I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway (NLT).
My Companions, YOUR Physical Health is VERY important right now. If you are not feeling well, get Tested. Get Treated. If money is a concern for either. Getting Tested. Getting Treated. If access is a concern for either. Getting Tested. Getting Treated. Let us know. We will help you find the right connections, access the needed resources.
My Companions, the Physical Health of others is VERY important right now. Self-Quarantine whenever possible in Groups of less than 10. Smaller if possible. Wash your Hands. Don't touch your Face. AND. Practice Social Distancing. Six feet of space between you and others. More if possible. Avoid crowds as much as possible.
But, my Companions, YOUR Spiritual Health is also VERY important right now. When you feel the anxiety seep into your thoughts. RESET. REFOCUS. RESTART. Hear Jesus saying gently, "Come unto ME ... and I will help you REST.":
RESET: Stop. Notice the word "rest" in RESET. Take 15 min just to breathe. And look for message that can help you rest. Find peace. A blog post. A favorite bible verse. Google the word, "Rest". Or Peace. Or Trust. Or "God Will Take Care of You." Or listen to Mahalia Jackson.
REFOCUS: Connect. Reach out to somebody who calms you. Who inspires you. You helps you find peace. Find hope. Call them. Text them. Facetime if you can. Their smile can often help you refocus faster than anything else. Chat for a while. And don't forget to ask. For help. Or a prayer.
RESTART: Move. Even if you are feeling trapped in the house or in your office. Move. Even if it's just to the other end of the couch. Even better. Clear a space on the floor and stretch. Find a way to exercise a lethargic part of your body. Restarting means changing something. Beginning something. Getting something moving. And usually. Just one step. One moment of progress. Encourages more.
And notice. The word "Rest" is also in RESTART. Jesus wants us to rest. And hear repeatedly, "God will take care of you."
God is GREAT. And God shows us what is GOOD. Now. More than ever. When you don't feel OK.
RESET. REFOCUS. And RESTART.
God is GREAT. And God is GOOD. Let us thank God for much more than FOOD. For when we don't feel OK. It is still more than OK. God. Will. Take Care. Of you. Of me. Of us. Of ALL of us. Amen.
Remember our SIX COMPANIONSHIP VALUES
That we are practicing at Mt. Olive during this time of Self-Quarantine
(and, hopefully, LONG AFTER as well).
1) The Health of our Mt. Olive PEOPLE is VERY Important
If you Need Help getting Tested or Treated -- WE will find a way to HELP!!
Self-Quarantine in Groups of less than 10. Wash your Hands. Don't touch your Face. AND. Practice Social Distancing.
2) The Health of our Mt. Olive CONGREGATION is VERY Important
Join us EVERY WEEK in ZOOM WORSHIP
Get GOOD at ONLINE Communication
Meet with and CONNECT with Members and Friends on Facebook, Instagram, Text, E-mail, or even, old fashioned Phone Calls!!
Share GENEROUSLY. Keep your TITHES current. This helps us better respond to the needs of our neighborhood during this Public Health Challenge.
3) This New Normal is a MARATHON not a Sprint
Let's HELP each other STAY HEALTH in Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength
Check in to Pastor Todd's Blog at https://bruningt.wixsite.com/companionship
4) EVERY WEEK each Mt. Olive Person will REACH OUT to Another Mt. Olive Person
We will set up a system so that you get a call from somebody every week
We will also ask you to contact one, two or three people every week, just to ask, "How can I pray for you?
5) We will find NEW WAYS to Reach Out to our Mt. Olive NEIGHBORS
We will post Volunteer Opportunities on the Blog Site
How can you SAFELY reach out to our Fair Park Neighbors ... or your own Neighbors?
6) Practice COMPANIONSHIP as much as Possible
Keep in CONTACT with each other; especially others you don't know well
Learn more about how to Connect SIDE-BY-SIDE
Help set up a CIRCLE of CARE for yourself ... your family ... your COMPANIONS