And so we find ourselves in a lot of discomfort.

In response to the threat of the coronavirus, Governor Evers has mandated that groups cannot assemble of more than 10 people. It makes sense why he did this. He wants to keep the people of Wisconsin safe - and we want to be safe. We want to be secure. We want to be free of the anxiety that now grips us. 

And as children of God we at Good Shepherd’s will comply with that mandate. God has commanded us to respect the governing authorities and that is exactly what we intend to do. But, as God’s people, that also leads to some discomfort for us. There is discomfort because we want to be together. We want to gather at our Lord’s house. We want to see each other and hear again of our God’s marvelous love to save. 

And so we find ourselves in a lot of discomfort. 

We’re Christians, and it is against our nature to be separated from each other. It flies in the face of every grace driven instinct we have to stay away from the house of our God. 

But we are not alone in this. 

David knew this kind of discomfort. There was a time in his life when he was separated from the tabernacle of God. He was separated from his brothers and sisters. In fact, he was even cut off from the land of Israel. He was among the Philistines, and every day he had to pretend to be insane just so the Philistine king wouldn’t kill him. How David longed to be with his people again! How he longed to be in the Lord’s house! 

Yet in all of this - in all the discomfort, the ache, the anxiety - David knew well the promises that God had given him. Of all the things that had been taken from him, he knew what he still had: God’s unending love and protection. And it is of these that David sings in Psalm 34 - the psalm he wrote will he was with the Philistines, separated from his people. Let us also rejoice in these words - for our God will be us and protect us always. 

 "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

    he delivers them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The righteous man may have many troubles,

    but the Lord delivers him from them all;

he protects all his bones,

   not one of them will be broken.

The Lord will rescue his servants;

    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned." Psalm 34:17-22 (NIV1984)

We thank Pastor Joshua Zarling for this month's blog.