These
are strange times. Everything is changing moment by moment. Everyone one of us
has been impacted in ways even just a week ago we never would have imagined.
Some of us are working from home and desperately trying to set up a home
office. Others suddenly find their children home all day long with playdates
forbidden. Others are trying to teach courses online for the first time and
keep running into roadblocks. Some are suddenly without work and desperate for
income. Some of us are feeling overwhelmed, others are bored beyond measure. All
of us are hunkering down, social distancing, and wondering what tomorrow will
bring. I’ve seen a number of memes on Facebook that have said something along
these lines, “Honestly, I hadn’t planned on giving up this much for Lent.” And
the truth is that our lives have changed. In some ways, I hope, temporarily. In
others, I suspect, permanently. And anytime our lives encounter seismic change,
it’s a good time to step back, try to take a bird-eye view, and see the big
picture. If we’re changing anyway—how can we change intentionally and
purposefully? What was part of our lives before the coronavirus that we valued?
That we don’t want to give up, no matter what it takes to maintain it? How can
we nurture these things even in the midst of these new realities? What had
creeped into our lives that we didn’t like? What habits or vices had taken hold
that we might want to eliminate? How can we use this unique time of our lives
being shaken up to cut these weaknesses out of our lives or reshape them in
positive ways? What was missing from our lives that we wish were a part of
them? How might we use this unique time to nurture these things? To develop new
patterns or habits? To reshape the foundation of our lives? And, of course, as
we undergo these changes, as our lives reshape themselves day by day in this
unprecedented time of uncertainty, how do we guard against bad habits or patterns
taking hold? What do we see starting to creep into lives that wasn’t there
before and that we don’t want to be there in the future? Paul, in Colossians 3,
writes to those believers in Colossus and reminds them of the seismic shift
that took place in their lives when they accepted Jesus as their savior. He
describes it as taking off the clothes of their former lives and clothing
themselves instead with Christ. Put to death the old self, he says—all the
anger, rage, malice, and lies. Also the greed and lust and impurity. And
instead put on the new self—clothing it with compassion kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. And here’s the deal: this isn’t just a one-time and
done sort of thing. Paul says this new self—this new creation made possible through
the power of God at work in our lives—is being renewed day by day. In the image
of its Creator.
I
have a friend on Facebook who wrote, “Heaven help me if I see one more
reflection on the coronavirus that declares that this is the perfect time to
learn the guitar, to study a new language, to read all those books that have
been piling up on my ‘to read’ list. It’s all I can do to keep my head above
water!” This reflection isn’t meant to say that we need to be do more or be
more or accomplish more. But our lives are changing—whether we like it or not.
This is a reflection to say, Let’s do it intentionally. My prayer is that
through this all, whatever happens in the next days, or weeks or months, we
might all emerge transformed. Renewed. A bit more in the image of our Creator.
And
along the way, may the “peace of Christ rule in our hearts.” (Colossians 3:15)
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