When you start losing track of days, that is not a good sign. I'm reminded of something author Corrie ten Boom did in The Hiding Place, when she was locked up in solitary confinement. She wrote that it seemed strangely important to her not to lose track of time, so she created a homemade "knife" from a whalebone stay and used it to scratch a calendar of sorts on her cell wall.
This has been feeling like either a Thursday or a Friday, when it's only Wednesday. And I nearly lost track of what number I was on with this journal. Was it day 12? Day 13?
There's been a lot of talk lately about faith, about, is it a lack of faith to not meet in a church building on Sundays during this outbreak? After all, God doesn't want us to be afraid, does he? And isn't choosing not to meet giving in to a spirit of fear? Fear means lack of faith, and God isn't pleased with a lack of faith.
There's also been talk about, we should defy government orders and meet anyway (in response to executive orders limiting the size of group meetings to ten or less.) After all, didn't Peter and John and the other apostles say that they must obey God rather than man?
Lastly, doesn't the Bible say that we should not give up meeting together? If we don't meet, and instead, rely on "online church", isn't that just the same as giving up meeting?
Okay, I'm just going to give you my thoughts as someone who is a Christian but not a theologian.
No, I do not believe it's a lack of faith to not meet in a church building right now. I do not believe that it's giving in to a spirit of fear. There is a difference between irrational fear and healthy fear. Being afraid of getting a novel (i.e. new) virus that there's no known treatment for yet is a healthy fear. I don't want to get sick. Therefore, I'm going to minimize my chances for getting sick by staying out of crowds.
Defying government and meeting anyway, in this case, is stupid. We are not in the same situation that believers in China or Iran or the Middle East or North Korea are. The preaching of the gospel of Christ is not against the law, and religious gatherings are not permanently banned. We are being asked to temporarily refrain from meeting in a church building due to a public health risk. This isn't a "We must obey God rather than man!" moment.
And, the scripture referred to that says "let us not give up meeting together" really means, "let's not abandon meeting together permanently" or " let us not desert the fellowship." Have we really given up meeting together? No. Many, many of us have been virtually worshiping through online services. My own church has done that. I could make a case for "deserting the fellowship" if we were not making any efforts to worship at all.
Lastly, I'm reminded of one of the temptations that Satan threw at Jesus when Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness. He took Jesus to one of the high points of the temple and said, "If you're the Son of God, throw yourself down. The Scripture says that 'he will command the angels to catch you'." (my paraphrase.)
Jesus shot back, "It also says not to put the Lord your God to the test!"
God loves us and I believe he will take care of us. That does not mean that he has an obligation to protect me if I deliberately walk out onto 285 in the middle of traffic. For me, that would be "putting the Lord your God to the test" and I do not want to do that to Him.
I think God is a God who expects us to use the brains and common sense that He gives us, and if that means for right now, we do not gather together in a church building, then so be it.
I miss my church family. I miss my sister group (my ladies' Bible study). Virtual hugs just aren't cutting it right now. But I will get through this a day at a time, and I believe God will give me what I need as I need it.
Take a deep breath, all, and join me in our theme song:
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine!
Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.
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