Do you remember what your life was like before the COVID-19 Pandemic? You couldn’t catch your breath. You were so busy. Time with your children consisted of hurrying them off to school, chauffeuring to ball games and practice, and quickly getting them in bed to repeat the cycle the next day. Work trips were booked, and your daytimer filled.
Maybe you had a job that was paying the bills, but it wasn’t something you loved to do. Or, possibly you are retired and your social calendar was full, your hobbies were keeping you from your family, and a list of trips were planned. Your rising 401k left you with little need to pray because your needs were being met.
The church was open, and programs were in full bloom. You were sporadic in attending and would go more if it weren’t for travel baseball, late Saturday nights, or trips you had planned. You didn’t talk much about God because you didn’t know how to get into a spiritual conversation.
Life was normal and routine.
Then, everything changed. School was shut down and kids were home. Your business sent you home to work, or just sent you home. Trips were canceled, gatherings were postponed, and sports were suspended. Then the unthinkable happened. Church was canceled.
Life slowed down.
I didn’t realize the birds sang so much! I have conversations with my teenage sons about something other than homework and sports, and we do projects together. We eat together as a family. I find myself walking in my neighborhood more, and those spiritual conversations that seemed awkward before, now are easy since the reality of death has grounded all of us.
I pray more and seek God’s word. I’m reminded every day that I need Him, and I’m not in control. I tune into social media and see the church posting devotional thoughts, testimonies, virtual services, and neighborhood Easter sunrise services. More people are tuning in than we have space for in church buildings. And on Easter, 80 percent of my neighborhood worshiped together on my front lawn. Church wasn’t canceled after all. She left the building.
I hope we never get back to normal.