| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “Change can be good for you” Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Are you ready for America 2.0?” Recently on television I saw an interview with a leading historian. He specialized in U.S. History. With respect to the long-term impact he is expecting from the COVID 19 pandemic he said that we all need to be preparing ourselves for “America 2.0”. What he meant is that major cataclysmic events like this always bring long-term, and often permanent changes in society. America was fundamentally different after the Civil War than it was before. The Great Depression altered the mindset of an entire generation of Americans who were forever-after characterized by frugality and caution. The hippie era of the 1960s was a cultural turning point which is still having an impact on our society more than fifty years later. The events of September 11, 2001 put our nation on a war footing in the homeland and brought about security measures that are still in place almost twenty years later. Projections are that this pandemic may have a similar long-term impact on our nation. The changes could be in social norms such as no more handshakes and hugs; social distancing strategies may become commonplace; masks and hand sanitizer could become standard equipment for many of us; or, the changes could be even more severe and painful. There could be economic implications of this event that reverberate for decades. (There can also be some positive changes for the nation that come out of this and we will think about those on another day). The point is that in ways we probably aren’t expecting, things in America are likely to be very different on the other side of this. So how will we, the people of God, deal with that? The reason I have spent much of the first part of this month writing about the positive changes to the practice of our faith that we should all be seeking as a result of this time of isolation, is because spiritual maturity will be the most important factor in determining how well we handle whatever it is that lies ahead. As Paul so boldly declared in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In Deuteronomy 31:7-8 Moses was preparing the Jewish people for a major, historical shift for their nation. They were about to enter the Promised Land. Ultimately it would be a good thing, but it would also include many difficult problems and challenges. They were going to have to go into it strong in the Lord and with a great depth of spiritual maturity. The same is true for us. At this point we don’t know what the weeks, months, and years ahead hold for us as individuals and for our nation. But even though we don’t know what the future holds, but we do know Who holds the future. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. There is nothing we cannot face and deal with effectively, as long as we are facing it with Christ. Are you ready for America 2.0? You are if you’re walking closely with Jesus. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
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