When schools, businesses, and churches shut down as an initial response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, it was a shock. Staples like canned beans, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, diapers, and baby formula were in high demand. Strange concepts such as "social distancing" and "Zoom" instantly became household words.
What initially began as a temporary response to a global pandemic has turned into a mask wearing, social distancing, homeschooling, telecommuting, daily case count in your face nightmare. Somehow preferences on mask wearing or homeschooling have become as polarizing as the current Presidential election. That's right- as if a global pandemic wasn't enough, it had to happen during an election year.
For most of the summer, the smallish community in which I live had not yet experienced community-wide spread of Covid-19. We in Alaska were blessed with the gift of time when the virus hit the United States. When we shut down our businesses and schools in March, the virus was not prevalent in my area.
Fast-forward to present day, and we are just now getting hit with community spread of the virus. As a result, we are once again experiencing schools and churches shutting down. Emotions and stress are at an all-time high. People are exhausted from the strain of the past several months. Our friends are testing positive and getting sick, or at the very least under mandatory quarantines. People are missing work without pay and kids are forced to stay home and be taught by frazzled, exhausted parents.
Our world is hurting. God's people are hurting. I don't know about you, but when I'm hurting, I want to be with my family of believers. Here's the catch- due to community spread of the virus, we have been forced to cancel church services for a couple of weeks. Once again we are attending church online in a virtual setting.
So what are God's people supposed to do at a time like this? How do we retain the hope and the joy in Him when our world is crashing down around us?
For me, the answer is simple. I worship God. I sit down with my piano, my voice, some music, and my God, and I sing. That is how I get through the hard times- by worshipping Him. I am able to do so because I know that no matter how hard life is, no matter how desperate things might seem, He is still sovereign and He is still holy.
One of my go-to songs over the past few years is a song called "You are Still Holy." The first time this song struck a chord with me was early on a Sunday morning during worship practice as we prepared for Sunday's church service. My heart was heavy for dear friends of mine who had just experienced their third miscarriage in a row. It was so hard to understand how something like that could happen to a couple that desperately wanted and prayed for a child.
A couple of years later, as I experienced devastating marriage difficulties, this song again resonated with me. I remember sitting at my piano crying out to God, not able to finish singing this song through my tears. Even though I didn't understand His ways, I knew that He is sovereign, and He is holy.
As my community and we as a nation continue to face the trials of a global pandemic, a Presidential election, and all of the other effects of a broken world, I pray that we can say (and sing) with all our hearts that He is still holy.
"You are Still Holy" by Kim Hill
Even when the darkness surrounds my life
Sovereign, You are still sovereign
Even when confusion has blinded my eyes
When my unbelief has kept me from Your touch
I want my life to be a pure reflection
Of Your love
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Savior
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
You are still holy
Even though I don't understand Your ways
Sovereign, You will be sovereign
Even when my circumstances don't change
When my unbelief has kept me from Your truth
I want my life to be a sweet devotion
To You
