Terri Cavaliere
“In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; Your name and
remembrances are the desire of my soul.
My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks
you. For when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the earth
learn righteousness.” (Isaiah 26:8-9)
These verses are part of a prayer of faith during a crisis. Isaiah reminds his readers
that when people face hard times (AKA judgments) these are allowed to teach
something. We are in a time of crisis, from the COVID-19 pandemic and the
political turmoil that assaults us on all sides. We are yearning for peace and are
desperate for something to lift our troubles. Is stands to reason that this should
be a time to turn to the Lord.
There are 2 messages I learn from the prophet: [1] We should be seeking God and
[2] We should be looking for the lesson that is inherent in these challenges.
Many of us remember that in the immediate aftermath of the attacks of 9/11
there was a turn / return to faith. This does not seem to be happening now. We
are depending on our “idols of choice” for comfort. Have you heard that drugs,
alcohol, food, social media, or television working?
We have virtual happy hours or coffee hours; but we should also have virtual
prayer meetings. We don’t necessarily need pastors, deacons, or teachers to lead
us in prayer. In the infancy of the Church, believers met in their homes to worship
together. As we do, we will come to know each other and to carry each other’s
burdens.
Father, in the name of Jesus, we ask for your comfort and peace. Holy Spirit guide
us to learn the lessons you wish to reveal. Help us to lead lives of faith and draw
closer to each other as members of the Body of Christ. Amen