Sunday Meditation and Update

The Coronavirus has been a real challenge to us. It is a killer we can neither see nor defend ourselves against. If we leave the safety of our homes, we put our lives at risk. If we get it there is little to nothing we can do for it. If we venture out to the store, we find many of our favorite foods unavailable. It has raised the level of anxiety for most. Our security in our retirement accounts has been threatened. 

Know what that sounds like? It sounds like sheep. They are one of the most helpless animals God created. They cannot defend themselves against any enemy. If they wander away from the sheepfold they put their lives in danger. Left to themselves they cannot even find food, and should they roll over they cannot even get back on their feet. They are easily scared and when that happens, they display all the characteristics of severe anxiety.

And God calls us His sheep. Left alone we cannot ultimately defend ourselves. We cannot really provide for ourselves. We cannot even rest in peace as we worry about everything. And apart from God we have no security. We are helpless sheep.

But the good news is that “The Lord is our shepherd,” and because of that “we lack nothing.” Our Good Shepherd “makes us lie down in green pastures,” that is He provides for our real needs. The He “leads us beside quiet waters, and “refreshes our soul.” We do not “fear” because “you are with me;” and “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Like sheep we are helpless in so many ways as we struggle with a virus we cannot contain or treat and the implications it has brought on society. But we are not alone. Jesus declared, according to John 10:14, “I am your good shepherd.” Jesus went on to declare, as recorded in that chapter, that “He knows us” and will not only protect us here and now but has “laid down His life” that we might be protected for all eternity.

The Coronavirus is serious, demanding responsible care on our part but it is not the whole story. The rest of the story is that we have a God who has promised to be our shepherd, protecting, providing, and caring for us as none other can. And we know that we need not be anxious about the future and certainly not anxious about eternity.

Weekly Business

Have you called other members to check on them? We need to be diligent about that.

Are you praying for specific members and neighbors? That is our responsibility.

Have you sent your tithe and offering to Deb R.?

Praise and Prayer 

Praise: 

As far as we know none of our members has contacted the virus.

For God’s safety to our neighbors and local firemen when a house 3 doors away burned

Monday night/Tuesday morning. The fire was massive but did not spread to other homes.

Prayer:

Some of our folks are out of work and need our prayers for the Shepherd’s provision.

Pray that Lily’s arm continues to heal.

Pray for the Sonan family regarding the loss of Jeff. Friends of Lengle

Remember folks in our retirement/nursing homes that cannot have family visitors

Remember our EMS and hospital workers

While we are largely stuck at home many are using the time to catch up on reading. I have a stack of books I would love to get read. Arti will tell you one of the things I hate to do is stop a story in the middle, whether it is turning a TV program off or closing a book. That got me thinking about reading the Bible. I trust everyone is using their time to do a little extra reading, but I want to warn you against closing that book too early.

One day the disciples of Jesus wanted to know what the signs of the end of the age would be and Jesus responded, according to Luke 21:10-11, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” If you are reading Revelation and get to chapter 9 you will read about how those judgments will fall upon mankind as God wraps up history. It is not a pretty picture at all and seems like an all too true prophetic message of today. If so, it is going to get worse before it gets better.

But here is the secret. Do not quit reading half-way through the book because the climax is in chapters 19-21 where we read that Jesus is coming again. When He returns, He will dwell with His people and make all things right. It is glorious picture. It is true that we cannot get to chapter 19 without first going through chapter 9 but don’t let your heart stop there. Go on and know that God really is in control and in His time and in His way, He will make all things new. For too many this seems like a hopeless situation but we who know Jesus are never without hope.

Hallmark Channel is presenting a marathon of Christmas movies because, according to a press release, “the feel-good films are meant to be a beacon of hope in these unsettling times.” Christmas is a happy feeling time but if you really want hope don’t look back to Christmas but ahead to Easter which is just 3 weeks away. Easter is the “rest of the story” for Christmas. It reminds that Jesus came to be our Savior and while He died on the Cross to pay for our sins, the real story reaches its conclusion on Easter morning when the stone was rolled away, and death was defeated. As Christians we are living on the victory side of both Christmas and the Cross. The empty tomb is a true beacon of hope in these unsettling times.

If we had been able to meet this Sunday, we would be looking at Paul’s prayer that we might know “the HOPE to which he has called you, the RICHES of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great POWER for us who believe.” We will be looking at them probably after Easter, but this week think about how great a hope we have at a time when many see no hope. Think about how rich we are in the things that really matter at a time when many worry only about what they have lost because of the stock market or unemployment. Contemplate the power that is available to us to overcome sin and depression at a time when all the news tells us we are powerless to do anything with the pandemic.

As noted on the information of our closing, God is ignoring the quarantine and is everywhere, including in our homes and with us as individuals. (From the Babylonian Bee, a satirical newsletter that looks at life through Christian eyes.)

Praise Items:

1. Rich and Chris are safely home from their trip to Florida.
2. We were able to hold the funeral for Nancy Lehr and our church family responded to the occasion with a great meal for them.

Prayer Items:

1. For individuals who have contacted the Coronavirus.
2. For Doctors, nurses and EMS workers who are putting their health at risk to care for those who are sick.
3. For Lily’s wrist that it will heal in place and quickly.
4. For older folk in our nursing/retirement homes who cannot have visitors because of the virus.

Thanks for praying for our church and community. Please share your praise and prayer with me at Dixonnorm@comcast.net   

Canceled Services  

The Church is not the building. We are the Church.

Effective immediately all services at Manbeck’s Zion are canceled and will remain canceled until the current crisis is over. Please read the following:

The above decision has been made after much prayer and in consultation with various Board and church members. Many factors were considered including the following:

1. As Christians we are responsible to God for all of our actions, but He has instructed us to be obedient to those in authority over us. Currently all leaders on both a national, state, local and denominational level have asked everyone to avoid gathering in groups. The numbers suggested vary from 10 to 50. As Christians we should listen to them. (The current list of mandatory closings in PA as sent out by the government allows for religious organizations to meet but that does not imply we should not obey other restrictions on gatherings.
2. While we are ultimately citizens of heaven, our current citizenship is in this community and we are responsible to that community to care and protect it. Continuing to meet may prove to the community that we are brave but will not show love or set an example for them to follow.
3. Our membership is extremely faithful so some would make the effort to attend a service or program even when they don’t feel totally well. Given the older nature of our membership it means that many are considered to be at a higher risk of having a serious reaction to the virus were someone to get it at church. We dare not realistically take that risk.

To minimize the impact of a closure we will try to do the following:

1. As pastor I will try to post on our web site a weekly short message of encouragement.
2. We will post praise and prayer requests and needs on both our prayer chain and web site and encourage you to send praise and requests via email to me. 
3. We will have posted on our web site information compiled by our denomination on other EC churches that are streaming their services or placing excerpts on their web sites. In addition, I know that on Sunday several ministries such as Dr. Jeremiah have TV programs that we can make use of.
4. I would encourage everyone to make use of the time confined to home to study God’s Word and to pray for one another.

In the days ahead I will try to set up a caring community list whereby each of us can be responsible for calling other members to not only check on them but to fellowship via phone with them while they are unable to come to church for that fellowship. We need to check in on one another and pray for one another.

Being closed does not mean that expenses of the church do not continue nor does it mean we are not responsible to continue to give to the Lord what is His. Obviously, if you are one of those who has or will lose employment because of this crisis God is not asking you to give but if you continue to receive income you continue to be responsible for it. Offerings can be sent to Deb. Reiter at the address in our directory.

God is ignoring the quarantine and continues to be everywhere!

Babylonian Bee

Ephesians Chapter 1 • Verse 15-23 • The Lord Jesus