One day, God willing and should the earth last so long, our grandchildren will tell their children that they lived through COVID-19, just as elderly survivors of other pandemics and deadly diseases, have spoken of it to their children and grandchildren. Stories of hardship, of fear and faith and frailty. Of unspeakable sorrow.
The coronavirus COVID-19 was so named because under a microscope the molecule appears to wear a crown. Like a conquering king, the virus has brought the globe to its knees. Humbled. Questioning our future, and learning, slowly and too late for many, to appreciate the simple moments God gives us; the small and beautiful things we have taken for granted. The touch of a hand. The embrace of a friend. The comfortably packed restaurant, coffee shop or concert hall.
The wind roared all night last night. I lay in bed listening, wondering if anything would remain outside when I got up. When finally I climbed out of bed, it cheered me to find all well. Blessedly normal, when so much else isn’t.
I walked back and forth between two windows—one facing east and one west. The full April moon hung milky and haunting over our neighbours’ house to the west, rapidly slipping below their chimneys and out of sight. In the east, the sun, red as a ripe mango, rose slowly over the horizon, its blaze a fire igniting the maples and evergreens between us.
Sunrise, moonset. The moment, simple and beautiful, brought immense pleasure. The Preacher called just then, from where he’s isolating for now. We prayed our day in, gathering our circle of family and friends and our frightened world under a blanket of words, reassuring for their repetitiveness. Most days we do this; gather others with us under God’s almighty wings, where he invites his people to fly for refuge. Come in, come in. We have an anchor that keeps the soul. Steadfast. Sure, while the billows roll.
Come in to our Saviour’s love.
The simple act of prayer remains as timeless as the sun and moon, and our God as faithful. More faithful, for he is Creator God, in whom all things: sun, moon, stars, you and I and all else, have their being. From the day he created mankind, each exhale, each inhale, has been his gift, as COVID-19 and the frantic reach for more ventilators reminds us so tragically.
I am, and always have been, a simple woman. If this were my final column, or the final column you would read, I would tell you the same simple things I have repeated for years. The Bible is true. God is good, even when life is hard. He gives peace to those who love him, and ultimate turmoil to those who ignore or defy him. Confess your sins to Jesus freely, for he is a great forgiver. Love those around you well, as long as possible. And when it’s time, fly to eternity in peace. Until then, be grateful for life’s simple gifts.
