Jesus First—Five Things I’m Learning from God During the Pandemic
During this pandemic, it is easy to just see the bad things happening all around us. However, a Biblical view on our present circumstances helps us see that what God could be doing during this time of life being upside down is actually giving us something wonderful and eternal—Himself!
Here are five things I’m learning from God during this time:
People are precious. Family, children, close friends, our group members, and parents are the people we care for the most. Although it is easy to take them for granted, when things get serious, you realize how precious these relationships truly are.
Busyness has a false sense of accomplishment while stillness feels like idleness. Not being able to do school, work, events, etc., in this same way and being constantly on the move, we can feel like we are really accomplishing something but often without much to show for it. An overly busy life has trained us to dislike times where we are sitting still and in the same place. This time has taught me to reclaim something I had forgotten was important—“being” somewhere and with someone.
Prayer is truly under-valued and significantly under-utilized. Followers of Jesus pray. It might be at a mealtime or first thing in the morning or the last thing at night. But praying, and I mean really praying, can be a rare effort. I don’t want to waste this unique opportunity. If I can’t grow in prayer during a worldwide pandemic, when will I learn?
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
Selfishness is a constant battle within me. When you can’t get what you want as fast as you want, or get it at all, you find emotions surfacing in you that are a little shocking. Why does lost or delayed mail or things not being available matter so much to me? I need to be thankful for what I have and focus on that, not on what I don’t have.
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
Life is short and there are many ways to squander it, but only one way to redeem it: Put Jesus first above all else. It really is a straight and narrow path and the road that leads to destruction is wide and many go down it. We all need a reset in life. The best and ultimate reset is simple, yet it takes constant refocus: Put Jesus first. We drift and get off course easily. But what a wonderful and key lesson to learn from this season: “Put Jesus first”.
“Christ is also the head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So He is first in everything.”
Colossians 1:18 (NLT)