Perspective

 Yesterday was Easter, which in most years is kind of a big deal for our family, our congregation and our community. For me it starts before sunrise, as I unlock the church buildings, turn the heat on in our gym and get the coffee started. At sunrise people from our local churches gather on the hill behind our building for a community worship service. After worship we all come down to our building for breakfast. Lots of people bring food and the men take over the kitchen to make breakfast. After breakfast we clean up the gym and then I work on the ordinary things I do every Sunday before worship. At 11 AM our congregation gathers, and Easter is a Sunday where the building is usually full. It gives me an opportunity to preach the good news of Jesus to people I would otherwise not see. People in our congregation have a preference for Easter as a Sunday for being baptized and every Easter there are at least a few. Then late Sunday afternoon our family would close out the holiday with our family Easter dinner.

Most years that would be the pattern. But not in 2020, with COVID-19 on the loose. Yesterday was pretty much like every Sunday for the past month. Up at my usual time, doing my usual things before worship, except for making coffee at church. We worshiped as a family at 10. We did have an Easter dinner, but it was early in the afternoon and a simpler meal than in most years.

A bit before we sat down for dinner a man stopped over, delivering the cross in the picture, as a gift for our family. I've known him for most of the time we've been in Dulce, and I know a bit of his story. His presence, and the gift, reminded me that even though many things are different this year, in terms of how we might celebrate Easter and the fact that everyone is living now in ways that are markedly different than they were a month ago, that so many things are still the same.

The people I've been praying for, and the reasons I've been praying for them, haven't changed. Family conflicts. Addictions. Personal struggles. Depression. Grief.

Things are different, but things are also the same, and that, for me, is a good perspective to keep in mind. With the quarantine I've been connecting more with people over the phone. I find that as I pray with them a thought that often comes to mind is that as things may be different for us and for a time, the Lord has not changed one bit.

He has not lessened in power. His love has not decreased. His promises have not changed. He is present. He is trustworthy. He is at work.

COVID-19 will pass. Something else may come along. But the Lord will never change, and everything about that is good.