“That was quite the sabbatical,” was my thought when I saw how long it had been since I was here. I’m not going to apologize because that doesn’t seem very humble being that I am a human being just like you, and even though I do have something to offer, the world isn’t going to stop turning because the keyboard is silent.

Humility is not something we westerners are good at, but Covid certainly brought many of us to our senses didn’t it? I don’t have to tell you life is hard. Our global community is living that through this pandemic. More than 500,000 people have died in North America, and even though there are those who think Covid is not real doesn’t mean it isn’t.

Ignorance has never been an excuse for anyone to force their own way. Nothing can be won by force what can only be won by submission. The ugliness of one person demanding that another do what they want them to do has never been more apparent than in the last year. We’ve even got so cocky to the point that we want others to think the same thoughts we think. Well guess what? That ain’t going to happen. The families of origin we come from is proof that we all filter things through our minds differently. Some of us try to take a high view of Scripture and live by it, albeit imperfectly, but not even God himself forces human beings to follow the Bible. Even those of us who profess to be Christians differ in the way we interpret the Bible. Diversity doesn’t demand division, and when we demand others think and do like we think and do we create division that ends in damning hate. Disagreement is inevitable. It however does not mean one person should think he is better than another. Eve was created from Adam’s rib. She wasn’t created from his skull or a bone in his foot. We are equals in God’s sight. Anytime someone lord’s it over another because they have the power to do so is wrong. Even Esau was able to throw the “yoke” off Jacob put on him. God has zero patience with a bully. That will never change. He is a Father who protects His children. Even in the middle of a pandemic.

I don’t know what your facing right now, but I want to give you hope. This has been a hard season for all us. It’s not over either. We need people now more than ever to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Be merciful to people even when they are at their worst. We have no idea what people are going through, and a pandemic just adds to the distrust people have for each other. I have a Father who isn’t phased by anything we go through. But He doesn’t not recognize the suffering it brings us. He is more powerful than we can imagine, so the days you can’t even get out of bed if you have that kind of suffering please be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up because bed is the only place you want to be. Sometimes the best place to be in moments like that is your bed. God is holding you close, and His angels are surrounding you. They are also surrounding you when you pull out of the driveway. They are surrounding you when you watch tv, plug into a virtual meeting or discipline your child. There is never a moment when God’s presence is not with you because He is everywhere all the time.

If all you can mutter is “Oh my God,” that is enough. He will come near.