Isolation from the world, from your normal routines, from the freedom to do what you want when you want and go wherever you need to go is undesirable.  The minute we are told we cannot do something or have something we then want IT with all that is in us.  We humans who fall back on selfishness in these times seem weirdly wired at those times.  Our social behavior is jaded by isolation, too.  We post sarcastic memes that we laugh at but it doesn’t really help the situation of loneliness and left to our devices…or vices.  What if we turned this isolation time into productive ministry, using all the tech the world has to offer to help people find and follow Jesus who loved us enough to die for us?  What if our isolation turned to praise and thanksgiving with expectancy to see what God will do through it all? 

And, what if, we figured out that this isolation time might be ordained to be “such a time as this” that God will use to explode His love, grace, mercy in the lives of those who never knew Him before the pandemic, the earthquakes, the hurricanes, the tornadoes, and other calamities of this life here?  Mm…

David is hiding out, isolated in a cave from Saul who is trying to kill him. Saul is his personal “virus” he is trying to avoid at all costs because death is the only thing on Saul’s mind.  Maybe our crying out loud prayer should be like David’s prayer while peering out from his cave-home, “Cover the whole earth with your glory!”  Yes, Lord may YOUR glory, power and majesty be seen through all that happens here on earth.  That is my prayer this morning, that no matter what happens, may God’s glory be seen and souls come to Jesus through it all.

We can learn what to pray and praise from David’s song…

“I call out to High God, the God who holds me together.”

“I’m thanking you, God, out loud in the streets, singing your praises in town and country. The deeper your love, the higher it goes; every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.”

YES!  Praise God from whom ALL blessing flow…great is God’s faithfulness!

Let’s think more about praising God and encouraging His people and avoid the pouting.  Let’s stop whining, “When will this be over?” 

Ask instead, “What can I do that will help others through it, Lord?” 

“What do you want from me today, Lord? 

Then be ready to shout your praises out loud!  Be ready to listen, hear, and obey.

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 57, The Message

A David Psalm, When He Hid in a Cave from Saul

^1-3 Be good to me, God—and now!
    I’ve run to you for dear life.
I’m hiding out under your wings
    until the hurricane blows over.
I call out to High God,
    the God who holds me together.
He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
    he humiliates those who kick me around.
God delivers generous love,
    he makes good on his word.

⁴ I find myself in a pride of lions
    who are wild for a taste of human flesh;
Their teeth are lances and arrows,
    their tongues are sharp daggers.

⁵ Soar high in the skies, O God!
    Cover the whole earth with your glory!

⁶ They booby-trapped my path;
    I thought I was dead and done for.
They dug a mantrap to catch me,
    and fell in headlong themselves.

^7-8 I’m ready, God, so ready,
    ready from head to toe,
Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
    “Wake up, soul!
Wake up, harp! wake up, lute!
    Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!”

^9-10 I’m thanking you, God, out loud in the streets,
    singing your praises in town and country.
The deeper your love, the higher it goes;
    every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.

¹¹ Soar high in the skies, O God!
    Cover the whole earth with your glory!

TRUTH: “The deeper your love, the higher it goes!”  Great and forever is God’s faithfulness!

Proverb 19:20-21, The Message

Take good counsel and accept correction—
    that’s the way to live wisely and well.

²¹ We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,
    but God’s purpose prevails.

WISDOM:  We make plans but God decides.  Go with the flow of God’s rhythm of grace.  He sees what we do not and cannot.  Listen to God; for what we do know is that God wants the best for us, provides for all our needs, and tenaciously and meticulously works good out of bad situations.

Abba Father,

There is NO ONE like you!  Great are you, Lord!  You know all because you created all.  You are the Master Designer of the universe who knows how all things fit together for our good.  You are our Savior who knew before the beginning of time that we would need to be saved.  You are our ever-present help when we are hiding out from trouble.  You are our Guide through good times and bad.  You are our navigator of rough waters, torrid relationships and other troubling challenges in this imperfect world.  You are the One and Only for me.  You are perfect.  Your ways are perfect.  Why would I trust anyone else?  Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in my life.  May your glory cover the whole earth today and be seen by all who need you.  Show me my part and I will obey.

In Jesus Name, Amen