Strength and Sound Judgment
The qualities that are emphasized in week two are strength, sound judgment and discipline. What will it take to develop those characteristics in your life? Perhaps more importantly, why are these characteristics that we should be concerned about at all? These are the issues that we will address during the days this week.
Let’s think for a minute about why these qualities are important.
The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak – the reactions to, and the repercussions from – is unprecedented in many ways. This is the first pandemic of the social media age, the first of the “fake news” and “alternative facts” phase of journalism, and the first to happen in the political moment where the major parties can never agree on anything. What are the effects of such an outbreak on people, on you?
minimizing the impact
Governments try to help society respond by minimizing the physical effects of the disease. Using forms of quarantine, closing non-essential businesses, wearing protective gear and keeping social distancing certainly place limitations on the spread and strength of the disease. How society is responding is very similar to the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. Studies that were conducted during and after the quarantines in Toronto, Canada found that those who were quarantined or restricted developed a high number of signs of distress, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We can deter the physical spread of the disease, but we still have to content with its mental health effects that may be on-going.
This change in our routines and way of life dictates our behavior for over a month now. Are you feeling its effects? Are you ready to climb the walls?
What about the effects of these restrictions on your spiritual life? You have not been able to enjoy corporate worship and fellowship for over a month. Has the panic and turmoil eroded your trust and faith in God’s ability to protect and care for you? Have your habits for prayer, devotion and Bible study changed? What is that status of your spiritual strength?
bolstering our strength
Our passage of Scripture for the week is from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. While we will look at a total of eight verses this week (verses one through eight), the one verse for us to memorize, to read over each day this week, is Isaiah 35:4.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God will come with a vengeance,
With the recompense of God.
He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4 ESV).
Let’s anticipate good things as we study God’s Word together this week. Blessings.
