I got to spend a little more time being a dad this week. In this strange time of uncertainty, the Lord blessed me with a greater appreciation for the simple things that life as a dad entails. Ordinary things – like sitting down for a meal with the whole family, reading a book with the kids, playing catch with my son, saying prayers and putting the children to bed – were not only distractions from the anxieties of the day, but they were welcomed with a new sense of privilege and thankfulness.
God’s mercies are new every morning, even when we have a hard time seeing the blessings that he places before us in our daily lives and callings. Maybe in these not-so-ordinary- times he will teach us to embrace the ordinary blessings of life.
This experience reminded me of something that I learned about Martin Luther and his response to uncertain times of turmoil during his lifetime. When Martin Luther was asked what he would do if he knew the end of the world was tomorrow Luther is often cited as saying, “I would go out and plant a tree.” His point was that he wanted to simply go about the life that God had given, each and every day of his life. It was clear to him that there is great blessing and a simple joy in doing the things that God has called us to do.
As the world finds itself in this strange season, may the Lord lead his people to cast their anxieties on the one who cares for them, and find new joy and thankfulness in the simple and ordinary things of life that God places before us.
For more on this, follow the link below and read the article by Chad Bird from 1517.org
https://www.1517.org/articles/marrying-a-nun-to-prepare-for-the-end-of-the-world
For those of you interested in further Bible study through podcasts I recommend:
40 minutes in the Old Testament
https://www.1517.org/podcasts/40-minutes-in-the-old-testament
30 minutes in the New Testament
https://www.1517.org/podcasts/30-minutes-in-the-new-testament