Faith in a Time of Pandemic: Planning Ahead

Faith in a Time of Pandemic: Planning Ahead March 27, 2020

XIV.
LOOKING FORWARD
I have plans for you, for good and not evil, for a future and hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

This morning, as I was walking on Craigville Beach, I encountered a Barnstable Department of Public Works employee. One of the qualifications for being a pastor is being curiosity. (Not nosiness!) Having seen his truck parked in the lot for a couple days, I asked, “What are you planning to do?” “We’re going to repave the parking lot.”

The Town of Barnstable is planning for the future. Hopefully this summer, there will be families on the beach, enjoying holidays and summer sun. In this time of coronavirus, we also need to look ahead.
In this present moment, we need to hold onto our dreams. We need to imagine the great “what’s next?” to motivate us to take steps in the present.

Hope is not denial. In fact, imagining an alternative future often occurs in the context of a
present. Necessity is not only the mother of invention. It is also the inspiration of creativity. People of faith, not denial, or wishful thinking, originate novelty to match the novelty of the challenge. They imagine a healthy future and then get to work to create it.

What new thing might you imagine in the wake of the coronavirus? What great idea do you have for your life and the communities of which you are a part, such as our church? How can we best reach out while sheltering in place?

Look toward the horizon. Go beyond both denial and hopelessness. In this time of sheltering in place, you can move forward one step at a time, laying the foundations for the future in this present moment. God has a future and a hope for you. Listen to God’s voice in your voice, moving you toward new possibilities.

Holy One, help me to hold onto my dreams. Help me to imagine positive futures beyond this challenging moment. Give me a great imagine, dreams and hopes, and the energy to move forward one step at a time. Amen.
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Bruce Epperly is a Cape Cod Pastor, Professor, and Author of over 50 books, including FAITH IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC, FINDING GOD IN SUFFERING: A JOURNEY WITH JOB; THE MYSTIC IN YOU: DISCOVERING A GOD FILLED WORLD; and BECOME FIRE: GUIDEPOSTS FOR INTERSPIRITUAL CHRISTIANS.


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