Day Six: Loss of Freedom in the Midst of A Storm
The loss of the freedom to worship for many disenfranchised citizens kept me up last night. The elderly that everyone is so concerned about in regards to this virus are being extremely adversely affected by the closing of houses of worship. Many of these elderly don't have the resources that we take for granted. Many just don't understand why their world is being "rocked" so profoundly. I am very concerned because our freedom to worship is our most sacred freedom.
I do have a message for all of you who are saying that "it's for the best. We're only trying to protect them." I know your heart is in the right place, but you have no understanding of how it is with these disenfranchised people. You don't know that many that I've talked to are feeling abandoned and shunned. Yes, there are some seniors that have embraced technology and are "plugged in" completely with it. For many though this lost of freedom to worship is going to impact them in a very negative way. It will begin to feel like they are in prison, if it hasn't already set in. You can't and shouldn't do this. It is not right. It also sends the wrong message...."Church is now closed and will be for the foreseeable future."
I can't help thinking about all those people that don't have internet access and see the notes on the church doors...and weep. I don't know what the solution is at this point. There is so much fear that the loss of freedom in the midst of this storm is going to be the sad result.
So I do mourn for all those disenfranchised out there struggling to understand why everything is closing down. I mourn for the loss of our economy that is currently happening. I mourn for the innocent ones who won't know the freedoms that are being taken away right now. Oh, Lord...you know our needs and you hold these disenfranchised in the palm of your hands. Please provide them with stable environments where they can grow in you. I don't understand this loss of freedom to worship in your house. I fear that many more churches will shutter their doors and close permanently. Yet I know your will is refine us to serve you. I read in Zechariah 13: 9 (KJV) "And I will bring a third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name, and I will hear them; I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God."
This thirteenth chapter of Zechariah is a bit difficult to understand completely. When you first glance at it, the Lord is talking about a fountain that shall be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. I picture Jesus being that fountain where people can come and be cleansed. It is appropriate when we dwell on the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for our sins that we also think of him as being a refining fire that eliminates the dross and sin in our lives. Maybe this loss of freedom to worship in the house of God will be a sort of refining fire to shift the wheat from the chaff.
I do have a message for all of you who are saying that "it's for the best. We're only trying to protect them." I know your heart is in the right place, but you have no understanding of how it is with these disenfranchised people. You don't know that many that I've talked to are feeling abandoned and shunned. Yes, there are some seniors that have embraced technology and are "plugged in" completely with it. For many though this lost of freedom to worship is going to impact them in a very negative way. It will begin to feel like they are in prison, if it hasn't already set in. You can't and shouldn't do this. It is not right. It also sends the wrong message...."Church is now closed and will be for the foreseeable future."
I can't help thinking about all those people that don't have internet access and see the notes on the church doors...and weep. I don't know what the solution is at this point. There is so much fear that the loss of freedom in the midst of this storm is going to be the sad result.
So I do mourn for all those disenfranchised out there struggling to understand why everything is closing down. I mourn for the loss of our economy that is currently happening. I mourn for the innocent ones who won't know the freedoms that are being taken away right now. Oh, Lord...you know our needs and you hold these disenfranchised in the palm of your hands. Please provide them with stable environments where they can grow in you. I don't understand this loss of freedom to worship in your house. I fear that many more churches will shutter their doors and close permanently. Yet I know your will is refine us to serve you. I read in Zechariah 13: 9 (KJV) "And I will bring a third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name, and I will hear them; I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God."
This thirteenth chapter of Zechariah is a bit difficult to understand completely. When you first glance at it, the Lord is talking about a fountain that shall be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. I picture Jesus being that fountain where people can come and be cleansed. It is appropriate when we dwell on the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for our sins that we also think of him as being a refining fire that eliminates the dross and sin in our lives. Maybe this loss of freedom to worship in the house of God will be a sort of refining fire to shift the wheat from the chaff.
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