Not everyone becomes depressed, but everyone on our planet becomes discouraged or sad at one time or another. It’s simply a human malady. Your hours at work are cut; the stew burns, bills are more numerous than usual; your children are going through a hard time; a valued relationship seems broken. Maybe you’re discouraged about the direction our nation is heading, and you see no resolution. Maybe you are stuck in your grieving process, which is making you downhearted. We could go on and on to describe times when sadness and discouragement feels like a heavy blanket over us. Life is simply complicated.

The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk began writing with these words, “How long, O Lord must I call for help, but you do not listen?” These words reveal the prophet’s discouragement, and he had many reasons to be upset. Although the date of the prophet’s writing is uncertain, it may have been when Nebuchadnezzar took the first group of captives to Babylon. Judah was reeling under God’s judgment, evil in Judah seemed to have the upper hand, and the Babylonians were closing in.

So Habakkuk pours out his heart to God as he expresses his heartaches, offers his questions, and waits for God’s answers (1:13). Why God are You tolerating the evil? Why are you silent, God, while the wicked prosper? Why are our prayers unanswered?  Why are you silent when disaster surrounds us?

God gives Habakkuk several answers: [T]he righteous will live by his faith (2:4); things will eventually be made right (2:14); and God is still on His throne (2:20). God also tells him that judgment is coming because of greed and aggression (2:6-8), injustice (2:9-11), violence and crime (2:12-14), immorality (2:15-17), and idolatry (2:18-20).* While this may seem like a very dark picture, Habakkuk’s next prayer is full of worship and faith.

He asks God to send revival and remember mercy (3:2). It’s difficult to pray in faith when everything around you is falling apart. In these times of great challenge, God is drawing us closer to Him. He wants us to get our eyes off of our discouraging circumstances and focus on His sustaining faith and His power to deliver. Habakkuk says, “I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us (3:16). Babylon was eventually destroyed in 539 B.C. when King Cyrus of Persia came to power. It was Cyrus who made it possible for the Jews to return to Israel after their captivity.

Habakkuk’s book begins with questions and discouragement but ends with praise and affirmation of who God is (3:17-19, NIV).

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

As we wait for God’s answers, I hope our prayers in these discouraging days will be full of faith in God’s care and provision for us. May the Lord also give us joy, as He did with Habakkuk, as we grapple with life’s disappointments.

*Notes from Life in the Spirit Study Bible, p. 1367.

All the Christmas decorations are in their boxes and stored, waiting December 2021. But this past year was so challenging, demoralizing, emotional, and devastating that it’s hard to think and plan for another year or even think about the possibility of Christmas 2021. As we remember all of the earthshaking events of 2020, it’s hard to believe we made it through such a cataclysmic year. A friend texted this to me a couple of days ago: “The only thing I believe anymore is God’s Word.”

With the pandemic and political unrest, there seems to be a dark cloud over everything right now. Maybe it’s just me, but there’s seemingly nothing to be excited about for the new year. While listening to music over the weekend, I heard an old gospel song: “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand,” which was written by Jennie Wilson as a poem and sent to Franklin L. Eiland to add the music. Miss Wilson was an invalid, but her poems reflect joy and a dependence on God. The song is an admonition and challenge to us in these uncertain times.

Time is filled with swift transition, Naught of earth unmoved can stand;

Build your hopes on things eternal; Hold to God’s unchanging hand!

CHORUS:  Hold to God’s unchanging hand! Hold to God’s unchanging hand!

Build your hope on things eternal; Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Trust in Him who will not leave you whatsoever years may bring;

If by earthly friends forsaken, Still more closely to Him cling!

Covet not this world’s vain riches that so rapidly decay;

Seek to gain the heavenly treasures; They will never pass away!

When your journey is completed, If to God you have been true,

Fair and bright the home in glory, Your enraptured soul will view!

This song and others on trusting the Lord bring back memories of sitting next to my grandmother in church as we sang from our “song book,” as we called it. Look at all the great theology and biblical truths that I learned as a child:

1. Nothing in this earth is permanent. (Matthew 24:35)
2. God never changes. (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17)
3. Eternal things are the most important. (Matthew 6:33; Matthew 7:24-27)
4. Riches are fleeting. (Matthew 6:19-21)
5. This life will end. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
6. Obedience to God is necessary to gain a home in heaven. (2 Timothy 4:6-8; John 3:16)

We live in very troubled times, but the year (1906) when “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand” was published was equally problematic. It started out badly with a January 8 landslide in Haverstraw, NY, that killed 21 people. Then on April 18, 1906, a 7.9 earthquake nearly leveled the San Francisco area. More than 3,000 people died directly or indirectly (from the fires) and as many as 300,000 people were left homeless since more than half of the buildings in the area were destroyed by the earthquake or fires. In today’s money, the damage would equal $120 billion.

While a listing of 1906 events includes a prominent murder and racial tensions, it also notes that on April 14 (4 days before the earthquake) William J. Seymour held the first service in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angles, which would become known as the Azusa Street Revival. The 3-year revival spread throughout the world and was the beginning of the Pentecostal movement. People’s lives were changed; race and gender walls crumbled, and miracles occurred. Referring to the death of Christ, Seymour said, “The color line was washed away in the blood.”

We live in a broken world, but as we “hold to God’s unhanging hand,” live according to His Word, and pray fervently, I believe we will see another great move of God that will break barriers and change lives.

Presently, Christmas music is bringing a festive air to my home. I’m listening to one of my favorite Christmas albums: Andrea Bocelli’s “My Christmas.” For many of us widows, it even seems that it would be dishonoring to our spouses to be joyful at this season of the year. But despite COVID, unrest in our nation, disappointments, and isolation, we have lots to celebrate this Christmas. Your loss may be recent, and the grief especially deep because Christmas will never again be spent with that someone special. There’s absolutely no “spirit of Christmas” in your home. You may even feel guilty for enjoying a Christmas activity. Your song this Christmas is “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you.”

Many of the things that professional counselors advise for widows to do to help survive the holidays are not possible this year because of COVID and the recommendations to celebrate in isolation. But COVID can’t hamper a grateful spirit.

Dr. Daniel Amen, a noted American psychiatrist, says, “When you place a priority on the things you’re grateful for in life, your brain actually works better. People who practice gratitude are healthier, more optimistic, make progress towards their goals, have a greater sense of well-being, and are helpful to others.” He recommends keeping a grateful journal. Our journal lists may be different, but I hope your list includes gratefulness for the privilege of knowing the true meaning of Christmas­—that Jesus Christ was born into this world to be our Savior.

There was little for which to be grateful during the time Jesus was born. Many people lived in poverty. Luke’s Gospel tells us that at Jesus’ birth, the Jewish people lived under harsh Roman rule. Joseph was required to go to Bethlehem, the town of his heritage, to register (Luke 2:1). He had no choice, and Mary also was required to go with him even though she was nine months pregnant. But Micah, an Old Testament prophet, had foretold about 700 years earlier that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). So, God was orchestrating everything that was happening. God was in charge, not the Roman rulers.

Do you believe that God is in charge of everything that’s going on in your life, despite your great loss? I’m not saying that God caused your husband’s death, but I am saying that He takes what is bad and works it into something that’s good (Genesis 50:20). It’s not easy to trust our lives to God’s all-knowing power—His omniscience—when we have been shattered by death. I remember sitting in front of a rehab building at a hospital in early January 1991 after Tony’s leg was amputated. Everything we had hoped to do in life was ending. In that dark hour, God gave me a promise that I thought was impossible. In the midst of my sorrow, God was giving me hope for the future. Ten years later, that promise began to unfold.

During this Christmas season, allow God to whisper words of hope to you through His Word or through a word He speaks to your spirit. He is Immanuel—God with us (Matthew 1:22-23) and He is able to bring something good out of your shattered life.

God’s Word has more than 70 Scripture passages that talk about His care for widows. Some of these are His direct commands of how to care for widows. Others are stories that demonstrate His great concern and understanding. As a child, I loved hearing how God miraculously provided financially for a widow so that her sons did not need to work as slaves (2 Kings 4). Now as a widow, I’m encouraged by God’s great provision for two widows, one young and one older, in the Old Testament Book of Ruth. Jesus also showed His compassion for widows by raising a widow’s son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17).

I have known these Scriptures since I was a older child and have experienced God’s provision and watchful care hundreds of times during my adult life. But I had an encounter three Sundays ago that vividly illustrates God’s ever-present concern for widows.

I was driving to church about 9:45 a.m. and was several blocks from my home when I thought I had forgotten to bring a mask, which my church requires. I took the next right at a side street beside a supermarket and stopped to check an extra tote in the back seat. Yes, I had a mask, so I pulled out of the parking space and proceeded down the side road. Within seconds, a loud thumping noise brought me to a stop once again. As I got out of the car, I noticed a young man on a small, old, girl’s bike to my left. He had one foot on the curb and one foot on the road and looked as if he was just waiting for someone.

Thinking I now had a flat tire, I got out of my car and looked at all the tires. They were still inflated. I even checked a second time. The young man said, “Would you like me to see if I can tell what’s wrong?” I was sure he couldn’t help but said, “Yes.” He immediately came to the passenger’s side. Pointing to the back tire, he said, “Here’s your problem.” Sure enough, about one inch of what I later learned was a spark plug was sticking out of my back tire, but not where it could be easily seen. “I can change the tire for you in about two minutes, if you would like,” he said. I agreed and thanked him.

He proceeded with amazing knowledge for his age, and we began a conversation. Nick (the name he gave me when I asked) was polite and articulate. He wore faded, well-worn clean clothes and was clean-shaven with closely cropped light brown hair. Even his hands and fingernails were clean, and his bright smile revealed nicely kept teeth. I sensed from our conversation that he was homeless, but he didn’t fit the profile of the young men I usually saw riding around the city on old bikes. Timidly I asked, “Are you homeless.”

“I am right now,” he said. “I stayed in a tent last night.” He talked about his jobs and said his mother lived nearby. I shared too and also told him of God’s goodness in my life and that God could provide and give him a wonderful future.

I was amazed how quickly he put on the spare tire and was even more surprised as I watched him put every tool in its rightful place in the container—just as if he has done it hundreds of times. When I gave him the money I had in my wallet, he said, “I don’t usually take money for helping.” I prayed with him, asking God to bless, guide, and provide. With everything back in the trunk, he got on the bike, and I got in the car. Both of us headed toward the intersection.

The main road was about 500 feet away. Several cars were passing, so I had to wait to enter the highway. He should have pulled up beside me, but I never saw him again. By the time I arrived at church, I was convinced God had sent an angel to help me. There was simply no other explanation.

I am often near that intersection and will never pass it again without remembering God’s great provision. God’s Word teaches us that He does not show partiality (Deuteronomy 2:17, Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11). What He did for me, He will do for you. He is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

More than 50,000 believers from across our nation gathered this past Saturday, September 26, in Washington, D.C. for two significant prayer events: The Return and The Prayer Walk. One media outlet reported that an additional 1+ million people participated in the events through the Internet coverage. The day was marked by prayers of repentance and a call to return to God for spiritual and moral healing in the nation. While hundreds of Scriptures were read or quoted, the underlining biblical emphasis was from Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple:

            If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seekmy face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Solomon realized that judgment wound come to Israel if they turned their backs on God. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he told the people there would be a threefold requirement for healing. God would then provide a threefold remedy. Believing that our nation is suffering because we have greatly sinned, we are following Solomon’s admonition and expecting God to hear, forgive, and heal.

September 26’s concentrated prayer fell during the 10 Days of Awe (the Jewish days of repentance and reflection), which began with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), and was just before Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, in the Jewish lunar calendar. This holiest day has been commemorated throughout the centuries with fasting, asking forgiveness, and even making right those wrongs that were committed. I believe God ordained the call to prayer for our nation to be during these holy days of the Jewish calendar.

God has answered prayer many times for the United States. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress called for prayer and fasting on July 20, 1775. Our war for independence from England had many ups and downs, but, although the fighting continued for two years, the British surrendered in 1781. As the War of 1812 raged, James Madison called for a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Aug. 3, 1812. When the British burned the Capitol and the White House in 1814, it seemed that Britain would win, but God gave decisive victories and a treaty was signed that December. These days of war occurred during The Second Great Awakening (1800 – 1840), so God was working despite the turmoil in the land.

Lincoln’s call for a day of prayer and fasting on March 30, 1863, was the turning point of the Civil War. During WWI when it looked as if the Allied Forces were losing, Woodrow Wilson called for a day of prayer. The next day the U.S. Marines won a significant battle that turned the tide. After King George VI called for a day of repentance, God answered prayer and Hitler’s forces began losing.People prayed and repented on the Washington Mall in April 1980, shortly before Reagan’s election. During the next eight years, The Cold War ended, and patriotism and faith were encouraged. In praying this weekend, we also prayed that once again we would see a return to God and that revival would sweep across our land.

These have been dark days with COVID-19, rioting in the streets, open sin against God’s commands, gross corruption, foul language, and lies. It’s almost as if we wonder if God has forgotten us. Is God hearing our earnest cries? Daniel said that in the last days that the enemy, Satan, would “wear down the saints of the Highest One” (NASB) or “shall persecute the saints of the Most High,” (Daniel 7:25, NKJV). One woman recently told me, “I believe Satan has released all his evil minions on earth.” Though circumstances look grim and Satan is trying to wear us down, to discourage us, and push us to give up, we are not defeated. But we desperately need another Great Awakening.

In Lynn Austin’s book While We Are Far Apart, Jacob Mendle, the elderly Jewish landlord says, “It must have been that Hashem (God) must not be listening.” Later he says, “Sometimes it’s wrong to judge the effectiveness of prayer by looking at the immediate results.”

So, we continue to look beyond the present circumstances and believe that God is answering prayer for our nation, just as He has in the past. We continue to humble ourselves, pray and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways and trust God’s plan for redemption and restoration.

Nearly 80 years ago, the block in which I live was part of more than a 400-acre tract of land with two large silos that held wheat and corn, dozens of black walnut trees, at least two caves, and a creek where the farmer’s children played. The family raised chickens, cows, and pigs, and a variety of vegetables. Over the years the land was sold to several developers, and little by little the corn and wheat fields were replaced with hundreds of houses. The black walnut tree in my back yard remains as a testament to this once productive farm. Today the land that was owned by one family is home to a diverse group of landowners.

Within this one short block, we have transplants from California, New Mexico, Florida, and New England. A family from Asia lives on the west end while the east end houses a family from West Africa. Both families came to the States seeking to be a part of the American dream. We also have a family of new American citizens from Central Europe and a second-generation European family that also has family ties to the Caribbean islands. A Russian family occupied the house next to me for a short time. Our block is a snapshot of America today.

Twenty years ago, Joan, whose parents owned this land, bought a small plot here to build a house. She was a recent widow, and her home was the first built on our block. While walking through the wooded area adjacent to her lot, she found the concrete steps of her childhood home, the old farmhouse. Today those steps in the corner of her lot provide the backdrop for lovely flowers and a remembrance of when she wandered through this acreage as a small child.

My neighborhood is very different from the one in which I grew up, but it’s very similar to what we can expect heaven to look like. When the apostle John got a glimpse heaven, he said, “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb (Jesus)” (Revelation 7:9).  They were loudly praising Christ who had shed His blood so they could be with Him in heaven forever. We will be together in heaven shouting the same praises to God, but we will not lose our distinctiveness.

My features look similar to the family from Central Europe, but they are very different from the African household or the people from Asia. But Luke, the writer of Acts and a doctor said, ^“From one man (Adam) He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live” (Acts 17:26). This means that if the Asian woman or the African man has a medical emergency and if she/he has 0-Positive blood as I do, I could give my blood to help save her/his life. So, we are similar in many ways, yet we are different. I also believe that God has sovereignly brought all of us together on this one small block of land.

Now you may be wondering how this applies to us as widows. All widows do not look alike. We come in all colors, shapes, ages, and sizes, and we may not grieve alike. Because of the differences in our cultures, some may show their emotions more readily than others. Some widows grieve quietly behind closed doors, while others weep openly.

Kristin Meekhof, who wrote A Widow’s Guide to Healing, says, “There is no ordinary grief. Each situation … is unique.” She, however, goes on to say that each widow experiences loss, fear, and hopelessness. And, each widow has scars. So, we are different, but we are similar.

May each of us who has been on this journey for several years, embrace the grieving widow and be an advocate for healing, regardless of our race, culture or ethnicity.

As this 2020 political campaign heats up, I thought you would enjoy this look into history.

In 1936, Democrats Franklin D. Roosevelt and his vice president, John Garner, were vying for their second term in office. Alf Landon and his running mate, Frank Knox, were the Republican candidates. The Great Depression that had begun in 1929 was beginning to ease and the nation was recovering in small ways, but most Americans were struggling, and 14% of the population was still unemployed. People needed encouragement and hope for a better future, but they also wanted relief from government overreach.

In a rousing speech in Pittsburgh toward the end of the campaign, Roosevelt promised to balance the budget, which he also had promised four years before, and cut federal spending by 25%. The people liked what they heard, and Roosevelt won the election with the largest electoral vote in history. Over the next four years, he failed to even try to keep his promise.

In 1940, Roosevelt was again campaigning in western Pennsylvania. This would be his third term in office. His speechwriter was concerned that people would remember the president’s broken promise and asked the president what should be said. Roosevelt responded, “Deny we were ever in Pittsburgh.” His choice is recorded for all of us to see a character flaw.

I suspect everyone has broken more than a few promises—some intentionally, others by neglect, and others because of life’s changing circumstances. I’ve said many times, “I’ll call you later.” But I failed to call. I simply did not remember my promise. How many times have we—and this includes me—told a friend that we would be praying, but the moment passed, and we simply forgot? Some broken promises are inconsequential, but others lead to disappointments, relational challenges, distrust, and even people questioning our integrity and credibility. We can make excuses for our blunders, but, as usual, the best way to handle our mistake is to confess and ask forgiveness.

Breaking a promise not only hurts others, it’s also painful for the promise breaker and can have long-term consequences. We lose confidence and self-esteem in ourselves, and our reputation is marred. So Solomon gives us a clear directive in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God,” (NASB). Jesus said, “Let what you say be a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No,’’ (Matthew 5:37, ESV).

Only ONE has never broken a promise—our precious heavenly Father. He always keeps His promises. As we deal with news of the increase of COVID-19, riots in our streets, a growing crime problem, and economic difficulties, we may have a tendency to worry about the future and become overwhelmed with fear. Instead of being anxious and afraid, we can rest on God’s promise to

• Provide for our needs (Matthew 6:31-33, Philippians 4:19)
• Be with us every day (Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 43:2)
• Equip us with strength (Psalm 46:1-3, Isaiah 40:29, 31)
• Give us wisdom (Proverbs 2:6, James 1:5)
• Give us peace in the midst of problems (Isaiah 26:3, Matthew 11:28-30, John 14:27)

These are just a few of God’s promises to us. In these days when we are uncertain about whose word to trust, we can have complete assurance in God’s unchanging Word.

The outbreak of COVID-19 brought great fear to our nation, and people have been praying for God’s deliverance. Now with the unrest, violence, destruction, and lawlessness in the last couple months, many people, including me, are crying out to God for another Great Awakening. We realize that only God is going to solve our problems. We have seen moves of God in the last 150 years but nothing to match the magnitude of the Second Great Awakening (1795-1835).

Many things have changed since that time in our nation. The population of the United States in the late 1700s through the early 1800s was only about 5.3 million as opposed to today’s population of about 328.2 million people. In 1800, the West was Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. This expanded greatly in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase, but today’s west is California, Oregon and Washington.

In many ways, the spiritual tenor of our nation is similar to those times. The eastern states, especially New England, was plagued with spiritual apathy and the rise of groups that denied the basic tenets of the Bible. History records that many people living in wilds of Kentucky and Tennessee were lawless and had committed petty crimes or were fleeing prosecution for robbery, murder, and counterfeiting. One writer said, “It was a desperate state of society.” Pastors and church leaders in New England and the South lamented the nation’s spiritual ignorance. But God was moving to change the spiritual, cultural, and moral atmosphere of our nation.

Small revivals began to break out in the eastern seaboard and spread westward. Pastor James McGready saw a move of God in north-central North Carolina before he took the pastorate of three fledging congregations in southwestern Kentucky. His fiery preaching brought the worst of sinners to their knees in repentance before God. In June 1800, about 500 people from the three congregations gathered outside for a three-day “camp meeting.” (It would not be called a camp meeting for about three years.) People earnestly sought God and cried out for mercy. When McGready held another camp meeting a month later, the crowd swelled to about 8,000. “McGready recalled: The power of God seemed to shake the whole assembly…Here awakening and converting work was to be found in every part of the multitude.”[1]

As desire for revival spread, other pastors planned camp meetings. Under the direction of Pastor Barton Stone, the camp meeting in August 1801 attracted as many as 25,000 people. The crowd was divided into smaller congregations with separate ministers preaching strong messages of repentance. People cried out in agony for their sins, asking God for mercy. “The rough, violent, irreligious frontier, which many felt threatened to undo the morals of the new nation, was being tamed by the Lamb of God.[2]

Throughout the early 1800s thousands of camp meetings were established in the United States to encourage the faithful and bring the lost to Christ. Thousands of people gathered in open fields and wooded areas to hear the gospel. One of the large Methodist campgrounds was in Martha’s Vineyard.

About 12 years ago, my daughter and I biked around Martha’s Vineyard. By the middle of the afternoon, we needed a break. After eating, she said, “Mom, I want to take you to some beautiful little houses about a block away.” We were chatting as we walked, but as soon as we entered the shady area, I said, “Where are we? I feel the Presence of the Lord.” (My eyes are filled with tears as I write this.) To my left were the beautiful Gingerbread Houses, as they came to be known, and in front of me was a large pavilion. I knew I was on hallowed ground. Something spiritually wonderful had taken place here. I learned this was the 34-acre Wesleyan Grove, established in 1835, where as many as 20,000 people gathered each summer for spiritual renewal. I was sensing the remnants of the Second Great Awakening.

We are praying for another great awakening. It won’t be like the previous one. Times are different. But wouldn’t it be thrilling to see 20,000 people gather in an open field, in a stadium, or in a park to cry out to God in repentance for His mercy? Once again God can change the spiritual, cultural, and moral atmosphere of our nation.

[1] -2 https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/return-of-the-spirit-second-great-awakening

 

About 18 years ago, a friend and I planted several ajuga plants in my front bed as ground cover around the shrubs. I anticipated the lovely purple/blue flowers that were to bloom each spring as a contrast with the greenery. The ajuga spread somewhat, but only a few plants bloomed.  I was disappointed. After waiting about 10 years with little success, I pulled them up and added mulch in the area. There was no evidence that I left even a partial root of the ajuga.

How surprised I was this spring to see an ajuga plant poking through the mulch. I was even more surprised about a month later to see its stately bloom. What I assumed was absolutely dead had somehow come to life. I thought about the spiritual implications. Seeds of kindness and goodwill may not take root and bloom soon after they are planted. I also thought of the seeds of the gospel of Christ that we plant in people’s lives that may seem totally dormant for many years.

Solomon said, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again,” (Ecclesiastes 11:1). My study Bible says that this may refer to an Egyptian farmer scattering grain on his land flooded by the Nile River. The seed would disappear and seemingly be forgotten. As the land dried, some of the seed would begin to sprout and eventually the farmer would harvest grain. We never know if a small seed of kindness and love will be meaningful in someone’s life.

When my husband I were pastoring, we provided a bus that picked up children for Sunday School. Many times I would pat children on their heads as they came in the classroom. It was a simple form of touch that I thought nothing about. One day at a grocery store an elementary-age boy that I recognized from our bus ministry came up to me with his mother. He did not remember my name, but with a smile he said, “Mommy, this is the woman that pats my head each Sunday.” I had no idea that the small gesture meant anything to the child, but it did.

As we face this prolonged pandemic and deal with social discord and anger, sowing seeds of kindness is more important than ever. People are fearful and sometimes desperate. Even a small token of kindness may say volumes. A smile may diffuse anger; a kind word may bring hope. Muffins and soup left on the doorstep of a grieving family could bring great encouragement. A phone call or a card may brighten a person’s entire day. These simple actions let people know you care, that you’re interested in their well-being, and that they are significant.

Luke chapter 8 tells us that Jesus went from town to town “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God,” healing the sick and casting out evil spirits. Not everyone accepted the message. Later he likened this to planting seeds. Some of the seed would fall on good ground and bear fruit, but other seed would fall on rocks or bad soil and would either not germinate or would grow up quickly and then die.

When we share the gospel—the good news—that all of us are sinners and that Christ died on the cross to bring salvation and eternal life to everyone (John 3:16), we are planting seeds. Not everyone will accept the message. For some, it may take years for that seed to grow. Another person may need to explain the message further, or it simply may take time for the message to take root in a person’s life.

Our job as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ is to sow seeds of kindness and love as we are sharing the gospel. We do not know if that seed will germinate and grow quickly or, just like my ajuga, be dormant for years before it begins to sprout and become something lovely.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of spending Palm Sunday in a country that follows the Julian calendar, so it was Easter Sunday here in the US, since we follow the Gregorian calendar. The sounds and images of that day are indelibly fixed in my mind.

More than 1,500 people gathered in and around that church, which in our nation would house about 350 people. In the lower auditorium men filled the pews on the right-hand side. They stood back-to-back and shoulder-to-shoulder on the right and center aisles. The women sat on the left and crowded in the left aisle and front. The small balcony was packed with men and women sitting and standing together. Even the pianist and pastor on the small platform had very little room. Worshippers crowded outside around the open windows on both sides and in the street in front of the church.

The people celebrated with waving of palms and exuberant music. Although I didn’t understand their language, I had no problem sensing the earnestness and joy of their singing and worship. Awesome! I recognized a couple of the songs by the melodies and joined in singing in English.

This was not in a country that enjoys religious liberty or freedom in worship. Christians there are not esteemed but are at times considered as outcasts and are often refused jobs and positions of status. For many of these believers, accepting Christ as Savior meant rejection from family and friends. It was evident on that Palm Sunday that they did not regret the suffering and shunning. Their dedication reminds me today of the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3:8: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

As we are isolated from each other this weekend and are celebrating the resurrection of Christ in our homes because of COVID-19, may we be grateful for the privileges we have to worship in freedom. May this time of prayer and praise alone remind us that many believers around the world meet in small groups weekly to avoid identity and prosecution. Our Easter celebration may be vastly different this year, but we can still joyfully celebrate our risen Lord.

As believers in the Early Church said, “He is risen. He is risen indeed.”