I don’t know about you, but I miss many things that were a part of my life 6 weeks ago. Being able to be with family and friends, being able to go out to eat, being able to sit in church as a congregation etc. were activities that brought me joy. I miss them as I know you do also.

If there is an upside to this pandemic and the disruption to life that it has caused it just might be that it has forced us to re-think what really does bring us joy. In thinking about that I came across a verse in Nehemiah that ends with the statement “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10). The context of that statement was very different from what we face today but the meaning is the same. We can and should find joy in the many things God has given us but even if all of them be taken away, our real joy in the Lord and when we allow His joy to fill us, we find the strength to face another week of isolation. 

Focus on all the Lord has promised us instead of what we do not have in the current situation and you will have reason to be joyful. We can’t necessarily be with family and friends, but our Lord has promised to always be with us. That should bring us joy. We may not have all the resources we once enjoyed, but we have a God who has promised to meet our every need. That should bring us joy. Being quarantined can be boring but it also can be an opportunity to spend more time in the Word and in fellowship with our God. That should bring us joy.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 95:1-2, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving.” OK, your singing may be like mine, simply a joyful noise unto the Lord, but truth is that when we focus on the Lord we are filled with joy and that joy in our strength.

Announcements:

1. Thursday is National Day of Prayer for America. Be sure to spend a little time praying for our nation. We are commanded to pray for those in leadership and at this time we need to spend extra time praying for those involved in Coronavirus care and decisions about what we should and should not be doing.
2. Saturday, 5:00-6:00 drive through the church parking lot for a Mother’s Day greeting and gift.
3. This Sunday Pam Rankin Wise will be our Mother’s Day speaker and I can assure you it will be a special time.
4. Don’t forget to send you weekly offering to Deb R.
5. Time to think about summer sermons. Send sermon ideas/request to pastor Norm at Dixonnorm@comcast.net

Praise: 

1. We had another good Zoom service on Sunday. Continue to remember the Wagner family as they look for guidance in terms of a return to RVA.

Prayer:

1. Bill’s sister-in-law Deb as she faces a return of cancer.
2. Harold and Carol’s daughter-in-law Jenny who also dealing with cancer.
3. Pray for wisdom for Willis and Betsy as they must determine how to get Grace transferred to Tremont and for Grace as she adjusts to that change.
4. Remember Mae in prayer. She is getting weaker and has pain. Remember her family as they care for her.