Today is Easter. Today I am sad. Today I am angry. Today I am disappointed. Today I am grateful. Today I am blessed. Today I am forgiven. Today I am a child of God. Today my tears are very near the surface. I push them back in fear that if I allow them to flow, they will not stop. The storms outside my window mirror the storm inside of my soul. Questions abound, hope desires to find it’s way out. Fear holds back the calling and prompting I feel deep inside. The victory of Jesus makes any of this possible and gives me the courage to obey. 

So many questions, that if I think about for too long, give way to anger and frustration. Why in this time of worldwide crisis have we Christians so quickly and easily adapted to what everyone else is doing? Are we not called to be different? How many times are we told “do not fear”, yet that is exactly what we are doing. Are we not called to boldly approach the throne of grace? (Hebrew 4:16) Why are so quickly believing what the news media and government tell us? Why instead of launching yet another online worship opportunity are we not calling for a coordinated effort to fast and pray? (2 Chronicles 7:14) The Bible says where two or three are gathered, he is with us. (Matthew 18:20)  Why are we not gathering to pray? Yes we need to be wise about how we gather, but church leaders are gathering every week to put on services. Why are not we as members gathering in similar fashion to boldly seek our God and pray? Because let’s be honest, He and He alone can deliver us from our current state of crisis. 

This one thought keeps ringing in my head – If you think about it, why not pray about it. Meaning what if we prayed about the elimination of covid-19 as much as we thought about, talked about , posted about , and checked the new? Do we not believe that God is still capable of miracles? I do! The Bible is full of God’s amazing works! From the parting of the Red Sea, to the valley of dry bones, to Jesus healing oh so many people, even bringing them back to life. The ultimate victory has been won – Jesus conquered death! Why are we not living like this Jesus still reigns? Because I know that he does! I keep thinking about two familiar Bible stories. One from the Old Testament and one from the New. First, the story of Esther. An everyday young girl, put in a place to save her people. We all know the verse that is so often quoted “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.” And the New Testament passage, one that we are just as familiar with and in fact have more than likely read in the past few days. Jesus in the garden praying “if possible, take this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours Father”. Seemingly unconnected at first glimpse. But the Bible is always connected, with the old pointing way to the new. Esther boldly goes before her king to plead for her people. Jesus boldly goes before His Father, our King pleading that if there is another way, allow it to be so. Ultimately following in obedience to save His people-you and me. Both boldly approaching their King for the sake of their people.

Back to today –What if we were born for such a time as this? What if, we joined together as brothers and sisters and boldly approached our King, the same King that conquered death, defeated satan and lives today, begging Him for deliverance from this virus that has changed our lives. Knowing, believing and expecting Him to act. You see, I believe this has happened and is happening for a reason. And I’ll be honest enough to say I don’t want to go back to what was, but to something new, better and different. I want to be bold for my Savior, I want to bring others with me to meet my King. I want to love better and more. I want to actually LIVE for Jesus! 

So, allow me to issue you a challenge to join me. I am committing, beginning today, to spend at least 30 mins everyday for the next week, praying for God’s miraculous deliverance for our church, our community, our city, our nation our world, and our people. Not only from this horrible virus but also from the ordinary, mundane and usual. Let us- God’s church, emerge from our quarantine, a changed people. A church on fire and full of passion that points others to the only One who can truly save – Jesus Christ! Holy, Holy, Holy, Is the Lord God Almighty. Who was and is and is to come!