A Strange Time

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.  Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler (hunter), and from the noisome (harmful) pestilence.  He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler (defense).  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth (destroys) at noonday.” Psalm 91:1-6

I went to Lowe’s on Saturday to get some potting soil and Cyprus mulch (yardwork is therapy for me), and everyone was making sure that they didn’t get too close to one another.  The store personnel had built sneeze guards at the registers.  I told the cashier that I felt like I was at the bank having to look at her through Plexiglas with an opening at the bottom to pay for my purchase.  Many customers and employees were wearing masks and some were wearing gloves, as I was.  It was strange.  I felt like I was in a grade B science fiction movie, “Invasion of the Social Distancers” or some other silly title like that.  I can remember back when Hollywood made movies like this before where a killer virus was unleashed on an unsuspecting public.  And now it is no longer a fictional movie, but it is for real.  I think I like the movie version better.

My daughter texted me and said that she and everyone else in her area of the country received an alert on their cell phones that all non-essential businesses would be closed.  However she said that the list was fairly long for the businesses that would be allowed to remain open for now.  There is also good news and bad news at the gas stations.  The good news is that gasoline is below $1.90 a gallon here, but the bad news is that you can’t go anywhere.  The grocery stores are still out of toilet paper.  I know that they must be getting stock in, but I guess once it is known, folks stampede to swoop it up.  I remember back in the 1970’s when we had the oil embargo and the wage and price controls, K Mart had a flashing blue light special on paper towels: four rolls for a dollar.  People were practically running to get their bargain towels.  The store employee climbed up on a shelf and begin throwing the rolls of paper towels out into the crowd.  I had never seen anything like that before, but I suppose panic buying will always be with us because folks have a fear of being without essentials.

I miss going to church on Sundays, but I can watch it on line at fbcw.org at 11:00 a.m. EDT.  I am thankful that the pastor, the musicians, and the tech guys are willing to gather in order to provide folks with a worship service, uplifting music, and some encouraging words in a time of uncertainty.  Speaking of uncertainty, we may not know how long this COVID-19 pandemic will last nor how much worse it will get before it gets better, but there is one thing that we can be sure of:  God is our refuge and our fortress, a mighty deliverer whom we can trust completely.  We just have to keep on praying and following the precautions that we have been instructed to do.  The best way to survive is to keep a level head and depend on the strength that comes from above.  God is exceptionally good to those who love Him, who trust in Him.  He has so much in store for those who call on His name:  deliverance from trouble, honor, a satisfying life on earth, and best of all, eternal salvation.  If you are having a little trouble trusting the Lord, try this exercise: reflect back on all the things that He has brought you through in the past and know that He can do it again.