By Lynn Standish
As I was reflecting on what I could say today, I was thinking about how my life had changed again recently, how during the Covid19 Pandemic everyone’s life had changed and wondering what the future holds.
Will life be “normal” again? The famous Star Trek quote, “its life Jim but not as we know it.”
What does “normal” mean to me or you? “Normal” is not always a good thing!
When will life be “normal” again?
When can we meet real people & hug them as we used to?
When will we be able to meet family & friends for a meal, celebration, memorial without having to restrict numbers?
I came across this poem by Alex Schachter.
Alex was a 15yr old boy who was killed in a mass shooting at his school in 2018 and he wrote this not long before the horrific act which killed him;
Life is like a roller coaster It has some ups and downs Sometimes you can take it slow Or very fast It may be hard to breathe at times But you just have to push yourself And keep going Your bar is your safety It’s like your family and friends You hold on tight and don’t let go But sometimes you might throw your hands up Because your friends and family will always be with you Just like that bar keeping you safe at all times It may be too much for you at times The twists, The turns, The upside downs, But you get back up And keep chugging along Eventually it all comes to a stop You won’t know when Or how But you will know that it will be time to get off And start anew. Life is like a roller coaster.
As I read I thought about the ups & downs of my life, the times I’ve had to push myself to keep going, not just during 2020 and now 2021 but in those times where life has got to be too hard generally.
I can recounts the twists & turns, those times I have thrown my hands up, held on by my finger nails and the times I’ve started anew, as I’m sure we all can.
My Christian journey is no different and as I reflected I was reminded of 2 verses from the Bible;
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 8:31 “…If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Many years ago I was encouraged to replace my name where “whoever” is in the John 3:16 verse as a reminder of just how much God loves me, warts and all!
Try it! Hold on to it! Write it down & carry it with you! Stick it on the fridge door!
We are living in difficult times, life is hard for so many of us at the moment, on so many different levels, but do not despair!
I believe, and indeed know as I see it on a daily basis, if I look hard enough, that we have the love of a God who never gives up on us and we are safe in His arms, if we choose to be.
It doesn’t mean we are shielded from life, even a pandemic like Covid19.
It does mean that, regardless of what life throws at us, beneath us are God’s everlasting arms where we remain safe & secure even in compromised circumstances.
So no matter what our circumstances are today, tomorrow, next week, hold on to the love of God, through his one & only Son Jesus, in whatever way you can and remember;
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Lynn Standish
