A New Era

This is a whole new era of global significance we have entered into.

Let’s start with some good news.  After hearing that my flight to Phuket was cancelled due to all international flights having been cancelled, I received several emails from my booking agent to ask me not to contact them due to the overload of customers with questions.  Then their call centre in the Philippines was shut down and more emails arrived asking customers to be patient.  I then received an email from Qantas to say they would refund (at a cost) or give credit for the flight I’d booked but I must go through my booking agent.  I knew there was nothing I could do but trust that the Lord would sort it out one way or another.  1 April I received an email with a link from my booking agent asking me to fill in my details and booking reference number (no it wasn’t an April fool’s joke thank God).  The following day another email reassuring me that my details and request to put my tickets into credit (on hold) had been received and another email would be sent to confirm my credit.

Then, as we approached Easter, I decided that April would begin my self-imposed lockdown.  I planned to isolate myself for at least two weeks to firstly keep myself and others safe, but also I wanted to spend this time praying for a breakthrough regarding the Coronavirus while reflecting on Passover and Easter.  As Passover approached I saw a similarity between the Hebrews being freed (through their obedience) by God from the slavery of Egypt (sin).  As Christians, we are part of God’s chosen people through the redemptive works of Christ.  The blood of Jesus is what rescues us from the judgement of God’s wrath.  The Bible tells us “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  So what does this mean?  It means, if you have turned your back on God, you basically are saying that you don’t want Him in your life and you are walking away from His help and therefore leave yourself open to His judgment.  The Bible also tell us in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  So how do we receive God’s favour?  Very simply, repent (that is, turn back to Him) and accept that you can’t save yourself in your own strength or by your good works but only by accepting what Christ did for you upon the cross.  Christ died in your stead, taking the judgment and wrath of God, your punishment, upon Himself.  We are to ask His forgiveness and receive His grace and mercy. That is what salvation is all about.  His sacrifice, his shed blood, on our behalf.  That is what we celebrate every Easter.

I’m not saying that this pandemic is or isn’t sent by God, but He will use it to shake us out of our complacency.  God wants us to seek Him.  He is more concerned with building our relationship with Him, and developing our character, than our comfort. Part of God’s good plan for us does include forging character through hardship.  Our character has eternal significance and is far greater than our temporary creature comforts.  Sometimes we need a jolt to remind us of all the wonderful things God continues to provide for us, which we often take for granted, including the very breath we take.

During this time of isolation, my plans have of course been challenged.  I knew there were inevitably going to be disruptions, but I had forgotten our Tuesday coffee date delivering coffees to the teachers at the primary school.  Our usual team was down from five to three – two making coffee and one to deliver.  There were only two coffee-runs before the school holidays.  Then there were well-meaning friends who visited out of concern, wondering why I was isolating myself or asking me to join them, at a distance of course, to collect olives, for a walk or a swim at the beach.  But in general, I have either kept to myself at home or stayed at a distance while out.  A neighbour graciously did some fresh food shopping for me too.

It hasn’t of course stopped me from gardening.  I have been delighted to find a baby bobtail wandering around my front garden.  I recently heard on Gardening Aust that some skinks, of which bobtails are, don’t lay eggs but give birth to live babies!  I was surprised.  I have been seeing a little fella in my front garden, sometimes disturbing him as I watered. Then this afternoon I saw him in my back garden, which surprised me as I usually keep my back gate closed.  Then wandering around pulling out weeds in my upper garden I saw another!  I had to check but yes I have two babies. What a pleasant surprise!

How many things have you ticked off your ‘To Do’ list?  I must admit I have spent some days vegetating on the couch, watching programs I had recorded.  But I have started on the list, my new wardrobe is now bulging at the seams, and I still have stuff I’m needing to store there!  I’ve also started Spring cleaning or should I say Autumn cleaning – I’ve emptied the master bedroom cupboards, packed up all my photo albums from the shelves in the lounge, cleaned the coffee machine, stove top – dismantling all the knobs, cleaned out my filing cabinet, finally clearing out all Mum’s paperwork ……

Before the lockdown I had had my sewing machine serviced.  I’d been meaning to do a pile of mending for months, some even for years; then a friend gave me three pairs of jeans to take up.  Before getting started, I had to clean off some table space – another job I’d been meaning to do, and then set up my machine.  After that it didn’t take much motivation to get started and finished.  More chores ticked off my to-do list.

I then fished out a pair of well-tailored trousers that I was going to take to Thailand to mend, as the zip had lost its slider (the bit you pull).  I had recently been given a bag of sewing items including zip; as I was sorting through the bag I noticed a slider and wondered if I could use that on my trousers.  Well I had plenty of time up my sleeves so I decided to try!  I unpicked the bottom of the zip and worked the slider on, then using two pairs of plyers, pulled and tugged, tugged and pulled.  All it seemed to do was jam!  Grrrr!  Ok maybe it wasn’t going to work!  Bother!  I began to unpick the bottom of the zip thinking maybe I could replace the whole zip.  Then noticed one of the sides was slightly twisted jamming the tape in the slider. More prayer. “All things are possible for those who believe. Thank you Holy Spirit for Your enabling.”  Twisting, tugging and pulling, slightly prizing the bottom of the slider open to release the fabric.  Hallelujah!  The slider now zipped up but there was still a problem at the bottom which was gaping.  Ah! I knew what to do now.  I struggled to pull the slider all the way down but eventually managed, then as I pulled the slider back up it worked beautifully.  Problem solved.  Thank You Jesus!  A little bit of hand sewing where I had unpicked the zip with some stitches across the bottom where I had removed the securing clasp and it was ready to wear.  I was very pleased with my patience and accomplishment.

During one of my moment’s vegging in front of the TV, I saw an interesting program about the use of masks, which confirms my belief that they do help to stop the spread of the virus if used correctly.  The danger is not to over-use them to the extent that they get wet, either inside or outside, as this breaks down the protective layers.   As the masks I was going to make were not from vacuum bags, which is the best fabric for filtering the virus, and due to the negative comments I have received about the inability of masks to protect us from the virus, I decided it was not worth the effort to make and give out. I still recommend using a mask in public, I or anyone could be contagious before showing any signs of infection.  A great video I watched was called Masks4All; their motto was ‘I protect you, you protect me’…  Please be other-centred.

Keep safe

Photos:  1. One of my roses    2. Remembering the works of Christ    3. Baby Bobtail    4. Mending     5. Which circle do you espier to be in?

Prayer & Praise Points:
Please continue to pray with me for all our health care workers, the scientists working on a vaccine and for those working on fighting this plague.

Praise the Lord for His protection, peace, wisdom and strength during these uncertain times. Psalm 91.

Please pray for friends and family who have either chosen to stay in the country they are working in or are unable to return home.

Pray also for the elderly who are missing their families due to lockdown, for parents and grandparents entertaining children at home, for businesses and individuals affected by the economic situation.

Pray especially for our heads of state and politicians; may they put their differences aside and work together for the good of the country and her people.

Pray that those who don’t yet know the Lord Jesus will have their eyes opened to His love, peace and saving grace.