The Real Danger Of Covid-19

It has been some time since I have tried my hand at blogging. Let's see if I can shake the dust off these fingers of mine by asking the question "do I have anything to say?"

COVID-19 has been around for a few months now and most of us have grown tired of keeping our distance. We are seeing out governments slowly removing the restrictions because they are realizing we have to learn to live with this virus. It is a tough call because the risk is potentially high, but we all need to get on with living.

This is the reason I felt somewhat joyful the other day as I listened in on the daily briefing from our provincial government. I was in the car running some errands when I heard them announce that they were permitting outdoor gatherings of up to ten people from no more than three households. My first thought was, my son and daughter could come over this Sunday. It has been three months.

I have three grandchildren, two of whom live within thirty minutes of me, but I had not seen them for three months. That is an eternity of time in a small child's development. I felt a warmth inside of me at the thought of seeing them.

So many people have paid a very high price to slow down this pandemic. People have died separated from those who longed to sit by their bed. No last embrace. No goodbyes. So many people have been hidden away, groceries delivered, sofa sitting, television fatigue. Long lines outside of stores. Cheap gas with nowhere to go. Lots of different thoughts running through my head as I processed this new information.

When I arrived back home I noted a small gathering of people on my neighbours front lawn. He's a really nice guy. I got out of my car just in time to hear my neighbour come out of his house. "Hi dad." "Hi son." I almost started to cry. What?

Life is not about careers, accomplishments, wages. Life is not about houses, cars and possessions. Life is about relationships. Young or old. Rich or poor. Male or female. Black or white. The thing we all need, want and long for is connection. We need to be connected with people who love us and who we love in turn. We need people who "see" us and appreciate us. We need family and friends, not for context but for purpose. We were created that way.

We were created for relationship. Our Creator made us to be in relationship with him, to love him and to be loved by him. It is the foundation on which everything else was built. We were also made for each other; to love. We are complete when we love our Creator and we love each other. So it seems the government almost destroyed us in their attempt to save us.

I don't blame them and I don't accuse them. They were and are in a very difficult place. Yet, there is a point where we just have to start living again. Some would point to the economy and the need to get back to work. But I point to my neighbour. I point to his front lawn. I point to his simple greeting with his son and I say in that we find life. In that we find our purpose. In that we find our joy.

We need each other. 

We were created to love. 

Intimacy

I am writing with some vagueness because I have no sought permission to reveal all the details.

Someone spoke with me recently concerned about someone else. This other person confessed they had no real sense of God and they wanted to sense him.

I was speaking at an event where this person was attending. As I spoke I felt the anointing of God take over and the Word was spoken with conviction and passion. As I prayed I sensed release.

The person in attendance later stated that as I prayed he sensed God, just as he had desired.

He wants us to have more than an experience, he desires great intimacy with everyone who belongs to him.

Living In The Full Capacity

The Lord has been revealing to me my attitude toward not living to the full capacity of the measure of faith I have been apportioned. We get comfortable living a life with no risk and minimum faith effort. But if I expect daily testimonies I need to start swimming in the deep in end of faith.

I have been happy with earning enough in the coffee shop to pay the bills but this is not living a large life. There is no faith needed here, only trust that God will supply our needs. But he has called us as investors, to invest the "talent" to see it multiplied. It is in the multiplication that Father receives glory.

He wants us to model a blessed life, where they can actually see him doing the impossible, multiplying beyond what is natural. In this he receives the glory.

So in this past week we have seen things multiplying but he has also been pushing me, that he has given me a great capacity of faith than I have yet realized. Today, it looked like we were not going to make the minimum with one hour to go in the day. I was puzzled and started to take a personal inventory. Then three quick orders came in and brought us into the profit side of things. Yet I knew he had intended more today.

I testify to his goodness and make a mark here that I choose to operate in my full capacity. This is a marker in that growth.

A passport found, a trip not taken

Amy needs to get her photo ID health card. When MJ took her in to the CLSC they told her she needed a photo ID to get her photo ID. Because she didn't have it, I would have to go downtown to their main office to process the health card request. To be honest, I did not want to lose most of my only day off doing this.

This morning I was discussing today with Jesus and confessed I really didn't want to go all the way downtown. The problem was that we weren't able to find Amy's passport to have the request processed locally.

Just before leaving I decided to look for the passport one last time time. My wife came in at that moment, walked over to my dresser and announced "Found it". She had suddenly been compelled to look in a box beside my dresser and it was on the top.

Answered prayer for a spoken desire, "I don't want to go downtown."

God is good. Thank you Jesus.

Knowing Father's Heart And Declaring

Thursday morning I was in prayer when I was prompted to declare what I sensed from Father's heart, that he wanted the store to succeed for his glory. I first declared success for the day because it is Father's will to bless the work of our hands. Then I realized it wasn't enough and so I declared that every day will be a day of profit for the rest of the month.

By the time the dust settled Thursday, we had a very success day; the first Thursday of profit since October of last year.

My wife had to cover the store for me this morning as I was teaching a boys Bible Study. When I came in we only had $17 in the cash register with 5 hours left in the day. Yet, by the end of the day we were in profit; the first Friday of profit since October last year.

God is good.

Favour

Tonight my wife and I had to do a return at Best Buy. While there we figured we would price the sound bars. We have been struggling with the sound during worship on Sundays.

We looked through various ones comparing price and quality. There was one that had two different versions, one with slightly more watts and was a 3.1 channel compared to 2.1. The higher one was priced at $500 and the lesser one was $280. I couldn't understand why there would be such a difference in price with such little difference. We settled on the lesser.

When we got to the register it came up as $399. I explained to the employee that this was not the price marked so she asked me to show her. I took her to the display. She took the price card and brought it back with us. She confirmed it was the correct item and so adjusted the register. After we paid I saw her rip the card in half and throw it out. I realized we just got a great deal that no other customer would get. I felt divine intervention and provision in the moment.

This morning I had spent time with the Lord going over the needs of the church and surrendering each one to him. These things are not for me to worry about. I only take direction from my King. He is the provider. Our sound system was one of those needs. He will supply all our needs in the manner he sees fit and I praise him for this provision.

God is good all the time.

Employment

My son Joshua lost his job two weeks ago. This has a big impact on him and the family. I know my children are blessed because I love and serve the Lord. Yesterday morning I started declaring "As for me and my household we will serve the Lord". I knew Father's heart on the matter so I demanded the enemy to remove his block from my son's employment and I declared the will of Father that my son would be employed.

I prayed this in the morning. Last night, we had just finished enjoying supper together when my son received a phone call. It was a job offer. No interview necessary. He was to start the next day at 7 am. It was for 45 hours a week. It was for $16/hr.

Now, get this: Not only had Father responded but he replaced his job with something better. The old job was afternoon and evenings, but he wanted morning and afternoon. He now had morning and afternoon. The old job was 40 hours/week and the new job is 45 hours/week. The old job was $14/hr and the new job is $16/hr.

Praise the Lord! God is good all the time!