Covid-19 is driving so much change right now. I’ll offer us three things: 1. The practical details of what CPC is doing this week; 2. Two apparently opposing ideas on responsibility; 3. A couple thoughts on the spiritual battle in a moment like this.
We will worship as we did last week, being more intentional this time about spacing ourselves throughout the sanctuary. Along with this, we’re looking into live-streaming for those who cannot come. For those who do come, we’re keeping the guidelines for gatherings in King County under 250 people. Those are:
All other CPC gatherings are cancelled, although smaller groups may meet at their own discretion (as long as you keep the 5 guidelines above). For example, we’ll meet for prayer this Sunday evening. We need prayer above all things, but the group is usually small and it’s relatively straightforward to keep the suggestions for King County gatherings.
For believers especially, called to serve the Lord and others, we can think of all this as loving our neighbors. What we’re trying to do is limit or slow the spread of the virus, allowing a greater period of time for health care systems to adapt, and researchers to work on a vaccination. So, more than self-protection, we are seeking to behave in a way that protects and serves others.
Here’s the seemingly opposing idea: even as we seek to protect others, we know Jesus says to us, “do not worry about your life,” with specific reference to its length (Mt 6:27). The real mission is to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Even more to the point, at the end of John’s Gospel when Jesus explains to Peter how his end will come, John’s comment is, “This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God” (Jn 21:19). If Peter can glorify God by dying, then the glory of God is more important than life.
My purpose in saying this is not that you’ll be reckless with your life, but I am hoping you’ll live with complete abandon. I’m hoping you’ll be abandoned to Jesus’ kingdom and righteousness and glory, regardless of the cost.
Finally, in an unsettled time like this you need ballast, and that ballast is God himself, his word, his Spirit. You can have all three by staying in the word and prayer. I urge you to do that. And pray for churches. Many churches that meet in public schools are now in effect shut down. For the ones that are small and struggling, they may not recover. The enemy is an opportunist. He prowls, seeking an opportunity (1 Pet 5:8). Don’t give him a foothold. Pray for those small churches, pray for your own fellowship and accountability, pray for the Church to witness faithfully and fearlessly in this time of dread and anxiety.
So much more to say on that note but I need to get this out. I may try to write tomorrow on what it looks like to be faithful in a moment like this.