May 22, 2020
sisters of mine, you did for me.
- In this First Things piece, a long-time friend reflects from his front-row seat on Italy’s COVID crisis.
- In this article, Eric Geiger cites a defense of corporate worship found in the comments of Dave Grohl, long time drummer of Nirvana and founder of the Foo Fighters. Grohl is not writing in defense of Christian worship per se, but as Eric Geiger points out in this piece, he makes the case all the same.
- Finally, in this WSJ piece, Peggy Noonan notes how our socio-economic status dramatically impacts our views on COVID and the government’s response.
On Our Declining Ability to Read and Think: “Scientists continue to debate the question of addiction to technology and its effects on memory and social isolation, a question transformed anew in the dozen years since the June 2007 introduction of the iPhone. But beyond the addiction debate, few cognitive scientists doubt that so-called multitasking is merely the ability to get many things done quickly and poorly. And no one doubts that heavy screen use has destroyed attention spans. But more than attention spans are at stake. Beyond self-inflicted attention deficits, people who cannot deep read—or who do not use and hence lose the deep-reading skills they learned—typically suffer from an attenuated capability to comprehend and use abstract reasoning. In other words, if you can’t, or don’t, slow down sufficiently to focus quality attention—what Wolf calls ‘cognitive patience’—on a complex problem, you cannot effectively think about it.” You can read Garfinkle’s entire piece here.
Quotes Worth Requoting:
- “Vanity is so anchored in the heart of man that … those who write against it want to have the glory of having written well; and those who read it desire to have the glory of having read it.” Blasé Pascal.
- “Arrogance and rudeness are training wheels on the bicycle of life—for weak people who cannot keep their balance without them.” Laura Teresa Marquez
- “My best skill was that I was coachable. I was a sponge and aggressive to learn.” Michael Jordan
At this time, where we are so focused on what we might breath in or out:
- I bless you—spreaders of the Gospel in Jesus’s name—with noses sensitive to opportunity, able to discern accurately where love must be applied in our churches and in our communities. May the One who gave you breath, take your breath away at the possibilities around you.
- I bless you in Jesus’s name with the easy breath of God’s Spirit, wholesome, pure, and deeply good, who comforts and drives us to comfort, who ministers and drives us to minister.
- I bless you in Jesus’s name with the wisdom for your lives—that they will be neither wasted nor left unspent. And may God, who inhabits all times both before and after safety, before and after illnesses, before and after death, advance his Kingdom. May it be a breath of healing in our world, the natural exhale of the gospel that we spread.
May 15, 2020
“The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
A Day Late: While prepping for last weekend’s Mother’s Day sermon (here), I stumbled across Nobody Loves You Like Your Mama Does, a Garrison Keillor article from twenty years ago. While not profound, it is fun. And during a pandemic we need fun.
Temperatures are Rising: You’ve likely noticed the rise of pandemic-related tensions. I can chart them by the spike in surly emails I am receiving—to say nothing of those that I compose in response but do not send! As Christ-followers, we must leverage this Kairos moment to become more like Christ. This requires prayer, patience, wisdom, the Spirit’s direction, and a commitment to not believe everything we hear. In fact, it even requires a commitment to not believe everything we think or feel.
Two Related Thoughts about Rising Tensions: 1) As you pray for yourself, pray for our local, state, national, and global leaders. They are under much pressure and scrutiny; 2) Monks have a name for people who make their life difficult. Brother Curtis Almquist of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Boston writes, “In many circumstances of life, we end up sharing life with people we would not have chosen, some of whom we inevitably find quite challenging. The monastic tradition has a name for these sometimes-quite-difficult people: ‘teachers.’ They teach us about ourselves; they expose us to what otherwise we may not see in ourselves or show to others.”
COVID-19 Related: It is now suggested that the coronavirus is called COVID-19 because that is how many pounds we are gaining while quarantined.
Changes Ahead: The first suggestion that work-from-home is here to stay is the ever-climbing stock valuation of Zoom Video Communications. If you were looking for a second suggestion, there is this: in a recent survey of CFOs, 23 percent said they plan to “reduce their real estate(i.e. office) footprint” because of “new work arrangements.”
Make a Joyful Noise? Germany is allowing churches to reopen, but not to sing. Hearing this reminded me of how much I miss it. I believe Christ Church’s worship and tech teams have done amazing things with online worship. But watching at home versus joining my voice with hundreds of others is like the difference between looking at an amazing picture of a bonfire and sitting next to one.
This Week’s Rorschach Test: Two videos went viral last week: the first showed yet another unthinkable murder of a young African American male; the second is an extended trailer for Plandemic, which suggests Big Pharma, Fauci, and others are behind COVID. Given how much has been written about both, there is no reason for me to say anything. But I will ask you to reflect for a moment. Which video impacted you the most and what does that say about you? (OK, I will add one other point. An old college roommate, who spent a lot of time with the Plandemic video, suggested that I should recommend this piece, which he found helpful and civil).
Can Science Explain Everything? I had a chance to interview Dr. John Lennox earlier this week. Lennox, a celebrated scientist with earned PhDs from Oxford and Cambridge, has not only published numerous scholarly works in the field of math but has written about the intersection of science and faith and debated many more vocal atheists, such as Hitchens, Dawkins, and Singer. The video of our discussion will be posted soon. In the meantime, I heartily recommend his website and his book Can Science Explain Everything?
Without Comment:
- The spread of infectious diseases recently surpassed terrorism as our primary concern. Other items on the list include the spread of nuclear weapons, cyber-attacks from other countries, China’s power and influence, global climate change, the economy, and migrating populations.
- Apparently, Asian “murder hornets” are fairly common in Asia, especially Japan, where they regularly kill 0.00001 percent of the population.
Quotes Worth Requoting: “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” Pope John Paul II
Closing Prayer: O Lord my God, most merciful, most secret, most present, most constant, yet changing all things, never new, and never old, always in action, yet always quiet; creating, upholding, and perfecting all, who has anything but what you have given? Or what can any man say when he speaks about you? Yet have mercy on us, O Lord, that we may speak to you, and praise your Name. Amen (Augustin)
May 8, 2020
COVID Reflections: Given the shift to working from home, the damage to our economy, the spike in unemployment, the rise of regional government, and the decimation of industries and other things, it is clear that COVID is less an interruption than a disruption. We are free to lament this, but it’s not all bad. For starters, the virus has reminded us that we are mortal and dependent—no small things! It has also helped revitalize neighborhoods. Before the virus, many Americans knew more about what was going on around the world than they did what was going on across the street. That is less true today—and surely is a good thing.
College in the Fall? After facing months of challenges and scary fall scenarios, last week many colleges received good news. The number of students indicating plans to return in the fall spiked. The reason? Apparently, after weeks of sheltering-in-place alongside Mom, Dad, and their kid brother, collegians decided they’d rather take their chances with the virus. From what I hear, Mom, Dad, and the kid brother mailed in the deposit.
Missing the Sage: During moments like this, we miss seasoned voices of wisdom—like Peter Drucker. I dearly wish we had his historically informed insights about this moment. I was reminded twice this week of Drucker (who lived through polio, yellow fever, small pox, and other plagues—to say nothing of World Wars and Depressions):
- Life after 65. The first came from a post by Jim Collins who noted that after Drucker died, Collins had a chance to visit his office. On one bookshelf, someone had arranged the 35 books Drucker had written in the order in which he had written them. Collins remarked that when he put his finger on the book Drucker wrote when he was 65, 2/3’s of the books were still to the right. Old age did not slow him down. If anything, it spurred him to greater productivity.
- Drucker on Leaders: I also stumbled across Drucker’s insights about leaders, which I find profound for their simplicity. He wrote that great leaders: 1) have followers; 2) get results—they do the right things and don’t worry about popularity; 3) know that leadership is responsibility, not rank, privileges, or titles; and 4) great leaders set good examples.
Keeping Score: One of the reasons we miss sports is because the players keep score. Would you watch if they didn’t? I share this to say that one of the stresses of the moment is that few of us know how we are doing.
Quotes Worth ReQuoting:
- “It’s a good thing to know in times like these that there have always been times like these!” Paul Harvey
- “Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin’s womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked ‘No Entrance’ and he left through a door marked ‘No Exit.’” Peter Larson
- In 2018, US audiences began spending more on digital in-home entertainment than movie theaters. More interestingly, in 2019 we began spending more time on our mobile devices than watching TV. And that time continues to increase. Today, the average US adult spends over four hours per day on a mobile device.
- The great pandemic is not COVID-19 but sin.
May 1, 2020
Speaking of Happy: Last week I gave a series of brief (3 minute) devotions on Joy. (You can listen here). One of the points I made was that God is the most joyful being in the universe. My comments reminded one reader of something Dallas Willard wrote in his magnum opus The Divine Conspiracy. If you have not read this before—and I think you would remember if you had—you need to. It is here.
Working from Home: A recent Vanity Fair piece opens: “I once heard a story about an older gentleman who wrote novels for a living, and who did so working from a home office. The man would wake up each morning, go down for breakfast with his wife, and then go through a morning ritual that he had done every single weekday, without fail, for almost five decades. He would shower, shave, and then get dressed in a three-piece suit, replete with a bow tie and matching pocket square, grab his briefcase, and then kiss his wife goodbye, before walking about 10 feet into his home office, where he would close the door, and spend the morning writing. The man, apparently, had deduced that the only way to work from home was to act like he wasn’t actually home. Self-deception is normally considered a psychopathology—but in the case of working from home, it actually might be the only way to maintain mental health.” He goes on to claim that science seems to be backing this up. If you need to trick yourself into greater productivity this days, you can read the rest of the article here.
Vanity Fair: I want to admit my surprise at citing Vanity Fair. The term was coined by John Bunyan in his 17th century classic The Pilgrim’s Progress. As a Christian was striving ahead, he was distracted by a fair in the city of Vanity. It was a place of empty and idle amusement. The term Vanity Fair came to mean decadent distractions. Today, we think of it as a magazine.
Dismissing Comparison: According to the CDC, since 2007 the suicide rate for teen girls has climbed 100 percent, and the rate for boys is up 30. What happened in 2007? Smartphones. Of course correlation is not causation; but there are studies suggesting that smart phones = social media = anxiety. It is worth reminding ourselves that comparison is a flawed exercise, always done from a distance and subject to massive manipulation. I can compare myself to an athlete’s 40 yard time or his intellect. Conversely, I can compare myself to Bill Gates’ 40 yard time or his intellect. I can design things to feel worthless or superior. None of it helps.
Psalm 22: A friend wrote to provide support for a previous entry on Psalm 22. Noting that one of his colleagues did her doctoral work on Christ’s “cry of dereliction” from the cross, he wrote: the first line of Psalm 22—“My God my God why have you forsaken me?”—is an “incipit.” With an incipit, I recite the first line and you instinctively know what to say for the second line. So I when say, “the more things change…,” you know intuitively to say, “…the more they stay the same.” The way an incipit works with Scripture is that I recite the first line of the psalm, and you instinctively know that I’m actually quoting the message of the whole psalm including the final line. So Jesus does offer a cry of dereliction from the cross without a doubt. But he also offers an incipit. The one who cries, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me,” proclaims to all those who know how the Psalm ends in such a way that they can respond intuitively, “He has done it.”
Stark on Pandemics: Back in 1992, Notre Dame historian Rodney Stark published “Epidemics, Networks, and the Rise of Christianity” in which he suggested that the church’s response in the wake of catastrophes and epidemics is one of the reasons it grew. If you want to know how/why, click here.
Quotes Worth ReQuoting: “The issue of faith is not so much whether we believe in God, but whether we believe the God we believe in.” R.C. Sproul.
Dying Well: The WSJ published a moving reflection by a Duke Divinity school professor on his young wife’s death. It’s worth reading. Click here.
Closing Prayer: “O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God… I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made thirstier still… Give me grace to rise up and follow Thee.” A.W. Tozer
April 24, 2020
For the joy that was set before him He endured the cross, despising the shame.
COVID Thoughts: I am of two minds about our response to COVID. When the shutdown is presented as “sacrifices we make on behalf of the vulnerable and elderly,” I am encouraged. But when it feels like a desperate attempt to “save our lives at any cost,” which is increasingly what it feels like, I am discouraged. As Christ followers we must remember there is more to life than avoiding death.
Which Comes First: It’s not like we need another study to tell us that too many people watch too much TV. But I found this study interesting.
Heaven Can’t Wait: Last weekend I spoke on heaven. That sermon is here. Several have written asking for books to read about heaven. Here are three: Randy Alcorn, Heaven; NT Wright, Surprised by Hope; and Anthony Hoekema, The Bible, and the Future. I list Alcorn’s book first because it’s the easiest to read.
Quotes Worth Re-Quoting:
- “There are decades in which nothing happens, and there are weeks in which decades happen.” Vladimir Lenin
- “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther King Jr.
- “I have discovered that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber. A man who has enough to live on, if he knew how to stay with pleasure at home, would not leave it to go to sea or to besiege a town. A commission in the army would not be bought so dearly, but that it is found insufferable not to budge from the town; and men only seek conversation and entering games, because they cannot remain with pleasure at home.” Blaise Pascal
Equal Opportunity Offenders: A friend sent me the following quote, “The problem with Progressives is that they are blinded to the partisanship of their claims. The problem with Conservatives is that they are blinded to the partisanship of their claims. Both are insufferable. And blinded. When Jesus is always on your side you are blind to the real Jesus. He doesn’t square up with you or anyone else. He is more For-Us than we are ourselves, and he’s more Against-Us than we could ever imagine.” I like several things about this quote – i.e., the suggestion that only bores are convinced that Jesus shares their every political whim, and the phrase, ‘He is more For-Us than we are ourselves, and he’s more Against-Us than we could ever imagine.’ But what jumped out at me most was the pride of the writer. Whoever made the quote is likely just as insufferably dogmatic about their moderate views as the progressive and conservative they are dismissing.
Without Comment:
- One-third of Americans recently admitted to drinking alcohol during work-from-home hours.
- 99.98% of people in Illinois have not died of COVID-19.
Marriage During Surviving Sheltering in Place: This week I interviewed Gary Thomas, the author of 18 books including Sacred Marriage, about how men could be better husbands during shelter in place. A video of our conversation is here. One of the many memorable moments of the night was his comment that 99% of married couples are surprised by how hard marriage turns out to be.
If Only: I start these emails with “Happy Friday.” But I wish I could be as happy as this guy.
Closing Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, I long to live in your presence, to see your human form and to watch you walking on earth. I do not want to see you through the darkened glass of tradition, nor through the eyes of today’s values and prejudices. I want to see you as you were, as you are, and as you always will be. I want to see you as an offense to human pride, as a man of humility, walking amongst the lowliest of men, and yet as the savior and redeemer of the human race. Amen. (Søren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855)
Interview with Gary Thomas: How Your Marriage Can Survive Shelter in Place
This week I interviewed Gary Thomas, the author of 18 books including Sacred Marriage, about how men could be better husbands during shelter in place. A video of our conversation is below. One of the many memorable moments of the night was his comment that 99% of married couples are surprised by how hard marriage turns out to be.
https://vimeo.com/410769546
April 17, 2020
“…they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”
Christ the Lord is Risen Today: Like tens of thousands of other churches, this year Christ Church’s service was online. I want to pass along this remarkable video of Christ Church musicians performing Christ the Lord is Risen Today. It was (is) remarkable.
Will COVID lead to Revival? In this Newsweek article, Southern California pastor Greg Laurie notes the spike in spiritual interest since COVID settled in. Some are suggesting the virus may spark revival. We can (should) pray to that end, but the study of revivals suggests they are preceded by two things: 1) prayer; and 2) repentance. At the moment, I see growing prayer but not much repentance.
Yet Another Correction: Last week I noted that Good Friday is only called Good Friday in the US. I went on to say that in other countries they refer to it in more somber terms. Well, apparently there are a few smaller countries – such as Denmark and China – where Good Friday is also called Good Friday. I am rethinking how I feel about this letter having international readers.
Locust: While most of the world is focused on COVID, other stories go under-reported. One such story is the way locusts are ravaging Africa. A second wave of “billions” of locusts is threatening food supplies for millions of East Africans.
Happiness: If you, like me, are a fan of Arthur C. Brooks – the former president of the American Enterprise Institute and now a faculty member at Harvard – you may have already read his recent Atlantic piece on Happiness. For what it’s worth, Brooks – who says, “I practice the Catholic faith and am happy to recommend it to anyone” – doesn’t go as far as I think he should on some points, but I think his piece is worth reading. And it is worth noting that in Christ we can know joy even in the midst of global disruption.
Living and Leading in an Anxious Age: This week I had a chance to interview Dr. Nii Addy, a Yale medical school professor who is involved in research around topics of anxiety, addictions and depression. Dr. Addy approaches these topics as a neuroscientist, but also as a person of faith. The interview is here.
Keller at Google: Over ten years ago, Tim Keller gave a talk at Google on his book, the Reason for God. You can watch that video here or look at detailed notes here.
April 10, 2020
On this Good Friday, it is worth noting that Christ’s words on the cross come from Psalm 22 and 31. This was not the first time Jesus quoted scripture. When he was tempted in the wilderness, he answered every one of Satan’s assaults by quoting passages from Deuteronomy. And while he was carrying the cross down the Via Delarosa, he cited Hosea. He was so saturated in the Word of God that it flowed from him quite matter-of-factly.
Speaking of Good Friday: Only in the U.S. is Good Friday called Good Friday. Elsewhere it is called God’s Friday, Holy Friday, Passion Friday, Sorrowful Friday, Long Friday, or Friday of the Lament. In other words, it’s called somber things, not “good.” Calling it Good Friday is a very American spin on it. Of course, the fact that “He made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” does make it a very good day for us.
Slowing Down and Reflecting: In spite of virtually everything on my calendar being removed, I remain busy. This means I must still fight for every minute of reflection. How about you? Some of you have family or professional responsibilities that have you busier than before. Others have been given quite a bit of free time. My point is that just because you have free time does not mean you will automatically slide into spiritual reflection. The Bible calls us to “discipline ourselves for godliness” and to “work out our salvation.” We do not fall into spiritual maturity any more than we fall into shape.
More Thoughts About Isolation: While I am on the topic of leveraging any newly found downtime, let me note that Alec Hill—the past President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an author cited in earlier Friday Updates, and a two-time cancer survivor who recently preached at Christ Church—recently wrote about his year in isolation. His reflections are available in this piece.
Hallelujah: COVID has me appreciating science and scientists, both those providing frontline medical care and those toiling away in labs and libraries trying to find a cure. But for reasons not entirely clear to me, COVID also has me appreciating art and beauty. By definition, art is something we value even though it has no utility. And yet in times like these, we need art, music, and beauty more than ever. This virtual choir singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” falls into the category of beautiful for me. For what it’s worth, I have yet to understand Cohen’s song. I initially assumed it was a “Christian song” because of the term “Hallelujah,” but the more I listened to it, the more I suspected he was celebrating doubt rather than faith. This NYT review of a 2012 book written about the song suggests that no one—not even Cohen—understands what it means.
It’s Worth Remembering: Paul is the one who wrote that, “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Paul, the same person who suffered through beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, imprisonments, rejection, hunger, thirst, and homelessness. He is the one who notes that our present trials are “light and momentary sufferings.”
Behind Closed Doors: It’s become popular to say, “We are in this together.” And with all of us social-distancing, sheltering-in-place, Zooming and face-masking, it does feel that way. But my sense is that people are having very different experiences behind closed doors. Some may be describing this forced recess as boring but mostly stress-free. Others are in free fall. It’s worth noting: 1) some cities in China are now reporting record-high divorce rates 2) alcohol sales in the U.S. are way up (243% online and 55% over the counter) 3) U.S. rates of porn-consumption and domestic violence are up. As I noted, not everyone does sheltering-in-place well.
Living and Leading in an Age of Anxiety: On Wednesday, April 15 at 7 PM (CT) I am interviewing Yale Professor, Dr. Nii Addy, on the topic, “Living and Leading in an Anxious Age: A Discussion on Faith and Resiliency.“ Dr. Addy is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Cellular and Molecular Physiology at the Yale School of Medicine. In addition to serving as a professor, Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program investigating the neurobiological bases of substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. And as a Christ-follower, he also encourages audiences to embrace the use of holistic, integrated, and God-given tools to address mental health challenges. You can sign up here for the link.
The Church is Not a Building: For centuries, churches existed without buildings. In fact, as Jim Dennison recently noted, asking someone in ancient times “where is your church?” would have been like asking them for the physical location of democracy. Earlier this week, the Chicago Tribune published a piece Syler Thomas and I wrote about the church in an era of COVID.
Tim Keller on Resilience and Burnout: Earlier this week, Keller—who previously pastored a church in NYC—gave a talk to pastors based on his experiences post 9/11. He now feels that he pushed too hard and as a result ended up with some burnout. In his comments he encouraged pastors to think longer term and to make sure you “put your own oxygen mask on before you try helping others.” My notes are here.
Closing Prayer: You taught us, Lord, that the greatest love a man can show is to lay down his life for his friends. But your love was greater still, because you laid down your life for your enemies. It was while we were still enemies that you reconciled us to yourself by your death. What other love has ever been, or could ever be, like yours? You suffered unjustly for the sake of the unjust. You died at the hands of sinners for the sake of the sinful. You became a slave to tyrants, to set the oppressed free. Amen. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153)
April 3, 2020: Hope
Hope: There are things to be sad about these days, but we also have plenty of reason for hope. We just have to understand what hope is. Being hopeful is not the same thing as being positive, optimistic, or having resilience. Biblical hope is never based on circumstances or attitudes; it is about the character and promises of God. This was the gist of my sermon last weekend.
A Reflection on Anxiety: By God’s grace, anxiety is not a struggle for me. But it’s a growing concern for a growing number of people. If you’re among them, you may profit from this reflection by Tim Dalrymple, the president of Christianity Today.
A Reflection on Grief: Alongside CT’s treatment of anxiety, we have Harvard Business Review’s treatment of grief. It is based on an interview with David Kessler, “one of the world’s foremost experts on grief.” As an aside about the impact of COVID, Kessler’s piece on grief almost instantly became one of the most popular pieces HBR has ever published.
Marriage in an Age of COVID: Last week I joked that obstetricians and divorce lawyers were about to be busy. In this piece, sociologist Brad Wilcox argues that Justices of the Peace will not. Noting that marriage rates dropped following the Great Depression, Wilcox—a professor at UVA and a senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies—argues that COVID and a faltering economy will mean fewer people will take the trip to the altar.
Oops: Speaking of last week, there was an error. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking, “You were duped. Lewis didn’t write that piece on plagues, that was someone else imitating him.” A few investigative clicks later and my suspicions were confirmed. My apologies for misleading you. Some of you likely had your doubts or knew I was wrong but were too kind to say. In any event, credit for the piece—which you can readhere—goes to Rev. Aaron Michael Nielson at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Durango, CO.
An Apologetics Resource: A few months ago, I had an extended dinner with Dr. Paul Copan, an author, philosopher, and apologist. He had much to offer, so I arranged to have him speak at Christ Church. That event is one of many things on indefinite delay. But you can access some of the resources yourself, such as a weekly apologetics, philosophy, and worldview email called The Worldview Bulletin. This online resource has free and paid subscription options. It’s a “best of” from the web on apologetics and related topics. You can see for yourself or sign up by clicking here.
Making the Most of the Days: By the way, I was feeling okay about how I was using my time during COVID until I read about Isaac Newton. While quarantined from the plague, he did little things like improving calculus, discovering gravity, and attending to a few other small matters.
Two Opportunities to Smile: Chances are you could use some excuses to smile. Here are two at COVID’s expense: a one minute Cheers clip and a one minute clip on grocery “shopping.”
Prayer Requests: As you might imagine, the requests for prayer coming into the church have skyrocketed. Some of those asking for prayer are sick, recently unemployed, or anxious. Many are asking for prayer for others: in particular, first responders and/or family members working in the medical field and those in developing countries who have far fewer resources with which to cope.
Closing Prayer: Lord, put your hands on our eyes, that we shall be able to see not only that which is visible, but also that which is invisible. Let our eyes be focused not only on that which is present, but also on that which is to come. Unseal the heart’s vision, that we may gaze on God in his glory. Amen. Origen (c. 185 – 254)
March 27, 2020
Reading in an Age of Corona: Online book sales are up 400 percent this week, with a “notable interest in challenging classics.” Let me suggest some challenging Christian classics for your consideration. Prefer nonfiction? The City of God, Mere Christianity, Celebration of Discipline, or With Christ in the School of Prayer. Favor Fiction? Robinson Crusoe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin,The Chronicles of Narnia, Les Misérables or The Lord of the Rings.
If you prefer articles: Here is an article on prayer from a back issue of National Review. Here are my notes from a recent Tim Keller lecture, and here is an Andrew Sullivan piece on loneliness and COVID.
Lewis and Screwtape on COVID: My Dear Wormwood, Plagues are a most effective weapon given to us by our father below. Normally, Christians are quite comfortable in receiving the dreaded sacraments and gathering in their prayers and other heinous Arts. But if you can stir up a hysteria by means of a plague so that they cut themselves off from our enemies’ gifts to them, the torment of isolation will drive them to despair and season them quite deliciously much to our delight. Get them to forget about their usual practices of prayer, fasting, and alms giving and encourage them to become gluttons, slanderers, and lose all regard for their neighbor thinking only about themselves and their immediate needs. Storing up treasures which we can send moth and rust to destroy further sweetening their torment. If you can, help them to redefine their usual words like “church” and “fellowship” and “ministry” so that they feel comfortable cutting themselves off from our enemies care and they can be tempted all the more. Yes, Wormwood, a plague is a tried and true method of taking their eyes off our enemy and getting them to worship their own bodies. A most desirable position for we tempters. Never let a good crisis go to waste! Your Affectionate Uncle, Screwtape
- During the days immediately following 9/11, many thought things would be forever different. Martin Marty argued the terrorist attack was more like an earthquake – i.e., we would likely put things back they way they were. Will COVID follow the 9/11 path, or will it – to use Marty terminology – be a glacier and permanently alter the terrain?
- The lock down has led one friend to suggest “in nine months, two groups will be very busy: obstetricians and divorce lawyers.” Sheri and I are hoping we’ll need neither.
- After talking with a friend who is also a pastor, I realized that in addition to caring for families who lose a loved one to COVID-19, we will also be caring for those who believe they infected the deceased.
- What we are actually being called to is physical – not social – distancing. We need as much relational and spiritual connection with others as we can get.
- Finally, on a much lighter note, you do not want to miss Neil Diamond’s contribution to the fight against COVID-19. Yes, that Neil Diamond.
A Kubler-Ross Review: It’s worth reviewing Kübler Ross’s stages of grief, as we may need to recognize them in ourselves: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.
Closing Prayer: As with last week, I am citing a modern prayer that seems timely. All authority is Yours, but you have given authority to leaders to protect and guide us. Today, we ask that You would give all our leaders wisdom, discernment, strength, and resolve. Keep them healthy, safe, and rested so that they can continue to guide us through this troubling time.
- Give our government leaders wisdom about what needs to be done to stop the virus and stabilize our economy.
- Give our spiritual leaders Your discernment on how to meet people’s needs as they continue to glorify Your name and encourage the Church.
- Give our medical leaders insight into how to stop the virus. Strengthen their resolve and honor their hard work in creating a treatment for COVID-19.
- Give our civic leaders inspiration, courage, joy, and strength to meet the needs of their communities.
And help us as leaders in our communities to display courage, hope, generosity, and kindness. Would the way we honor others inspire those around us. Amen.