Easter 4 - For the Living of These Days

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them : for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.

    Six year old Tommy was afraid to enter the first grade when school (parents, remember that institution?) started in a few weeks.  Finally he told his parents the reason for his fears.  "I don't want to go to first grade because my teeth will begin to fall out like Johnny's did when he went into Grade one."

    Chances are that all of us are afraid of something.

    The coronavirus interlude is having its way of bringing those fears to the fore.  The virus has brought a great change to our lives, and unless it's a baby's diaper, change is not welcome for many of us.  Ultimately our fear at this time is that we ourselves will contract the virus with its unpalatable symptoms that can be life threatening.  We fear a life style which a new normal will usher in eventually down the road where social contacts may have restrictions, and freedoms enjoyed in the pre-Covid-19 time will become somewhat limited as a two metre barrier may become the norm of the day as when going to the theatre, sports events, restaurants, coffee shops, and Church Services(?).

    This is where courage makes its entrance; for it is when we are afraid that courage has its birth.  Indeed it has been said that courage is fear that has said its prayers.

    In the above Deuteronomy passage, the people had much to fear - the uncertainty of entering a new land beyond the Jordan of an unknown people and going forward with a new leader at the helm.  It is to this people in their fears that Moses encourages them to go forward in strength and to be of good courage.

    As in the Israelite world of Deuteronomy so too in our world of today as one Frederick W. Cropp has said that there is much to make us afraid, but there is much more in our Faith to make us unafraid.  We go forward in Faith with courage that the Lord our God is with us NOW in the midst of our Covid-19  journey (we are not alone) and that our God will be with us in the new normal whatever form it takes of the post Covid-19 days.     Are we settled in fear or courage both now and as we journey forward?

    I close with words of the hymn -

God of grace and God of glory verse 2 
(# 490 in the Presbyterian Book of Praise).  

Lo! the hosts of evil round us, scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!  
From the fears that long have bound us, free our hearts to love and praise.  
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage for the living of these days - for the living of these days!

    In the Wizard of Oz, the lion wants the one thing he needs to go forward - courage.

    Yes, in the living of these days we too want courage, and that courage is ours, as we go forward by our Faith in Jesus Christ.

Forward in Faith with Courage,

                                                           Rev. Wayne