Discussions of the current Coronavirus are getting as partisan as were discussions of the economy or other matters from just a few months ago, B.C. (Before COVID-19).
 
So the current question is, “What are we doing Easter?!” Already, with the President’s statements about reopening our country by Easter – whether for the economy or schools, sports, etc. – people have asked me with some passion, “Can we do an Easter service? Even if it’s outside?!”
 
So I wanted to answer decisively, that we are continuing with our live streaming of worship for the next several weeks. If we calculate from the CDC’s advisory suspending meetings of over 50 for 8 weeks (issued Monday, March 16), our earliest return to corporate worship at Trinity would be Sunday, May 17.
 
We simply don’t know enough yet, and many credible medical experts (who come from very diverse political perspectives) agree that current strategies of reducing social contact ARE working to slow the spread of this virus. Patience and isolation are working. So until we do know more, we’re holding with our current plan.
 
The Gospel is the greatest revelation of what we never would’ve expected – it is a mystery we could not know without God making it known to us! So, if the most important truth in all reality was something we didn’t know, a puzzle we couldn’t solve, let’s not be upset that we have to say “we don’t know.” Because the circumstances facing us right now are unprecedented, we don’t know what we will be doing in even a few weeks.
 
So we don’t know. Let’s stay humble. And when we do know we will let you know promptly.
 
Stay on mission as a disciple of Jesus! Stay refreshed in your confidence in Him. Read His Word daily. Pray. Remain hopeful. And let’s be mindful of how we can love our neighbors – serve them, share with them, be eager to give generously.
 
Listen to God’s Word from 2 Chronicles 7:13-14: When I… send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Things to pray for:

• Ongoing repentance and humility. Consider what it would mean for you to humble yourself before the LORD and ask Him to help you pray, seek His face, and turn from any wicked way.
• Faith in Jesus. Ask Jesus to help you know the fullness of all that He has already done to save you, and to trust His love, wisdom and sovereign power.
• Patience. Ask the Holy Spirit to bear in you His fruit of love, joy, peace and patience. Pray for Him to transform your instinct to “want to know!” into trust that He knows even when we don’t.
• Perspective. Ask the Lord to help you see the opportunities that abound right now for you to share His love and grace! Pray that He would help you love the people in your life, especially in this time of hardship and fear.