by Pastor Melinda Giese,
Summit United Methodist Church
I thought I had been adjusting to the necessary restrictions around COVID-19 coronavirus pretty well. I hadn’t gone overboard into panic buying; I’d been proactive about ways to protect our Summit congregation; we had some Purell and toilet paper at church and at home. I felt like things were somewhat under control. Then I decided to head to the Sumner WinCo at 7 am for groceries on Sunday morning. My sermon was already posted, and if I waited until Sunday night, the store might not have much left. Surely 7 am would be fine. After all, who in their right mind wants to be at WinCo at 7 am on a Sunday morning?
When I drove up, I noticed the parking lot had quite a few cars parked already…not a good sign. As I walked to the front doors, I saw about a hundred people waiting outside the store for the doors to open…definitely not a good sign. A man near me commented that it felt like gas lines in the 1970s. I admit, I hadn’t slept well the night before, and this was the last thing I wanted to deal with. I persevered through the longest grocery check out line I’ve ever experienced, got my week’s groceries, and breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over. For the rest of the day, I felt exhausted and worn out. Between fast moving changes locally, concern for those I love at my church and in my life, the stressful news reports, and the need to make a number of decisions quickly, the week had taken a toll.
But on Monday morning, somehow I woke up feeling like I could do what I needed to do. I had strength and courage to face the week ahead. I went to bed with nothing, and I woke up with enough. I thought of Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, God’s mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Even when we are sleeping, God is faithful. My good night’s sleep reminded me that God never asked me to do this all by myself – God will help me.
I’ve never lived through a national crisis on this level - this is new for me. But our story of God’s faithfulness isn’t new; it’s one of the oldest stories we read in scripture and sing in hymns. It’s the story Christians tell each other and live out with one another. God is with us, and we’re here for each other. In times of difficulty, it’s also a story that becomes reality. Whether we experience it in small acts of kindness or a good night’s sleep, in a friendly voice on the phone or the mercy of finally seeing the sun again, God’s faithfulness will see us through.
Blessings,
Pastor Melinda