Are We in a Horror Movie?

Dylan:  "why do we keep watching all these movies about outbreaks, and flu, and viruses and pandemics?"

Crickets...

It's true, we have been on a roll, watching all that streaming services have to offer which are pandemic-themed, and we couldn't answer Dylan's question as to "why."

The rules of the game have changed and continue to change.  The entire world is on lockdown.  People are confined to their homes.  Jobs and businesses are up in the air.  People are worried about where the next paycheck is coming from.  Supply chains are threatened.  Scarcity looms in the air. Graduation plans are postpone.  Senior year is ruined.  Vacation plans have been canceled.  Kids are preparing to go to cyberschool.  Fear is running rampant.

It feels almost as if we had been taken out of the world we were used to, and dropped into one of those dystopian/post apocalyptic-society movies we've been binging on...dropped into a foreign universe where things don't look familiar and life feels really strange.

How are we supposed to deal with all these? 

The Israelites were captive in Egypt for some 400 years or so.  They were slaves, but they were used to it.  Generations had been born in that environment, which didn't know life could be any other way.  Then, along comes in this Moses guy saying that He was sent by the God of Their Fathers to lead them out of captivity into the promised land...okay...sure...

Shortly after, the entire Israelite nation (thousands upon thousands by then) found itself in the wilderness...wandering...with a Pillar of Light leading them in what seemed like circles...so, complaining, grumbling and whining became the thing to do:  what are we going to eat? What are we going to drink?  We're sick of this Mana, we want meat!  We can't see God, let's make a golden calf to have something tangible to worship.  Moses face is to bright.  He's scaring us, cover it up! Why did you have to take us out of Egypt?  For what? So we could die in the desert?

What did God do?  He kept them busy.

He gave them strict rules to follow:  do all that is in this list and you will be OK.  And He gave them work to do:  here's very detailed instructions on how to build the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, etc. etc.  And He equipped them to carry out the tasks:  He anointed priests to enforce the rules.  He enabled craftsmen and gave them fine skills to build all that He commanded. (Exodus 34-36)  People got busy providing all that was necessary to carry out God's instructions, and life took on a sort of rhythm that little by little began to feel more familiar and stable, even in the midst of uncertainty and wilderness wanderings.

I believe God has a plan for us today in the current global crisis as well.  I believe He is calling His people to stay busy within their confinement:  busy getting back to His Word and looking out for those less fortunate.  I believe He has sent us all to our "rooms" so we would pick up our Bibles, dust them off, and finally open them so we could meet Him there, like a Holy of Holiest within our own homes.  He is enabling us to abide by His will by giving us precious time to seek Him first and adopt His plan as our own.  He is giving the world an opportunity to turn its head upon Him, the Pillar of Light that is never extinguished.  The Provider who never abandons.  The Healer whose Powerful Hands are able to rid the world of disease.  The Comforter, whose warm embrace doesn't need to keep social distance.

We are not in an end-of-the-world movie.  Circumstances are changing, but God never does.  Perhaps, this is His way of freeing us from captivity!  Maybe this is how He breaks the chains that kept us enslaved.

Maybe, we are supposed to use this time to seek the opportunities for a life that puts Him at the center.  Like the Israelites, let's get busy finding our way back to Our Lord.  He is calling us.  Let's quiet all the other voices and tune into the Voice of Truth once and for all.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, Amen!

Dylan:  "Can we watch one of your silly, romantic comedy movies, Mama?"
Me:       "Of course, my child after my own heart.  Let's watch The Good Sam, you'll like it!"