Into the Harvest Stays Home

I’m writing this on Sunday evening of March 15th. I say that because I know a lot can and probably will change in the next week, yet I hope what I say tonight will still remain true…

 I wanted to share some of my thoughts regarding how we, as believers, can be “In the harvest” even as we stay home during the Coronavirus. For context: We in our family have been given directions by our schools and workplace to stay home this next week. And we are trying to take that seriously. After reading some great articles (and just for disclosure if you follow my personal instagram you probably know I’ve been following the COVI19 virus since it first showed itself in China; I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to pandemic research), we’ve decided to take social distancing seriously. We will only be going out for fresh air walks and trips to the grocery store for necessities. So here are a few good reminders as we who are usually in the harvest, find ourselves at home. 

This morning I was reading in Exodus 10 where it accounts the plague of darkness that came over Egypt. It says, “...there was thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. People couldn’t see each other, and none went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Israel had light in their homes.” 

If you are staying home in the next few days, take some time to consider how to make your home a home of light. Start by praying over the place where you live. Take time to invite the presence of the Lord into your dwelling. If you’re going to be home with your children or spouse pray over your relationships. Ask the Lord to be in their lives and in your time together. It might feel like it goes without saying, but there is something powerful in taking the time to say the words out loud. Our homes can be places of light that truly stand apart from the World. Let’s use this time when we might be forced into our home to see how we can better make it a place of light. Hopefully once this season is over, we will be all the more equipped to make our homes a place of hospitality and love of the gospel. 

I don’t know about you, but probably most of us extroverts will want to head straight to our social media this week. One, it’s rough being at home without added socialization, but also we want all the up-to-date information during this hard season. If you haven’t read our article on Christians and social media we think this is a great time to brush up on our purpose in that space. Other than the COVID19 memes (which I personally think are really on fire right now) things are a bit rough. Stress is high, the economy is spiraling, people are fighting over politics and methods of containment right and left! So before we jump into any number of hot topics, let us think about how we can love our neighbors in this season.

Instead of finding things to fight over on social media, find ways to use technology to reach out to a friend, do an internet Bible study, prayer meeting or even an old-fashioned call to someone who might need to hear from a kind voice.

We should be thinking how can we tangibly love our elderly neighbors or even our immune compromised friends? (Honestly it was my friends going through cancer treatments that helped make the decision to self-quarantine pretty easily.) We can make small choices, like only taking what we need at the grocery store. To big choices like canceling fun plans or giving financially to those who might be deeply impacted by this time. Here at ITH, we talk a lot about how we should put words behind our actions to share the good news of Jesus.  This is the season when we should be putting action behind our words. Let’s love big. 

So even though I’m not set to read this in my daily quiet time until tomorrow, I know what’s coming. Very soon, I will be reading about how Moses instructs the Israelites to get ready to leave. He gives very specific instructions for the passover season. He tells them both how to protect themselves from the judgment, but he also gives them instructions to get ready to leave. Action was coming! Up to this point, they’d honestly just been observers of these plagues. But, friends we, too, will be called upon in the coming days. We must be ready to share the news of Jesus Christ with those who need it. 

The Coronavirus may just be one more “war or rumors of war” ¹before the end, but as my friend Nacho likes to say, “Today is the closest we’ve ever been to Jesus coming back.” Let us use this season in our homes to be in prayer for the lost of this world who do not have the assurances you and I have.

May we ready ourselves, maybe physically, but definitely emotionally, for our own days in the wilderness before the promised land. But let us not forget why we are here: May we be ready to be back out in the harvest again very soon.