A Note from Our Shepherds

“How much of this can we endure?” “I’ve looked at the same walls every day, all day long.” “I guess this is what house arrest feels like.”

Does this sound like thoughts in your heads? We understand. But we should remember one important fact: No matter how long we must endure separation from each other, the magnificent love of Jesus Christ holds us together, no matter what the next day brings.

Romans 8:35-39 – Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here are some suggestions to reflect on each day during the pandemic shut-in:

Focus on Unity.
Christ wants all of us in the world to unify. Don’t you think there is no better time to achieve this directive?
● Our whole world is subject to the COVID-19 epidemic.
● Our differences don’t matter in the light of this pandemic.
● We focus more on helping others instead of what is best for ourselves.

Be reassured that our shepherds love and pray for each of you daily. Here are some of our prayers:
● We always pray in faith, because we believe and rely highly on prayer.
● We pray that God’s will be done, not our will.
● We pray for you by name, along with any health issues.
● We admire and lift up front-line workers.
● We want Christ to be known more during and after this pandemic.

Be reasonable and safe in your re-entry. Listen to wise advice from our medical team, whose task is to keep everyone well and safe.

Isaiah 30:18-21
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Be patient. Be safe. Listen and look for what God wants us to do during this unusual time.

We love you, and we will all be together soon.

Your Shepherds