We all woke up this morning I bet, knowing that we have one final day of freedom to go beyond the boundary without any restrictions. Well, I took it and went out into the fresh, clean air of the new day for a walk before the kiddies got up. I cherish my morning walk in absolute silence! I use it to pray without any noisy distractions – my children, music, cars, people, washing machines, etc.

It’s still, peaceful and cleansing. Each time I take a walk, I feel like I can truly talk to God. It’s just Him and me. No one and nothing shouting for my attention. I shed tears, marvelled at beauty and enjoyed the fresh breeze, crisp air and the beauty and tranquility of being in the Lord’s creation untainted by noise pollution.

 

This morning was bittersweet. Firstly, I was just thankful that there was a beautiful “pink and mauve” (as my two-year-old put it) sunrise. (I thought it was going to be chilly.)

I couldn’t go back to sleep this morning with everything on my mind so it was good to get out. As I stared up at the big, blue sky, I realised that I have much to be grateful for!

We spent the weekend in self-isolation because we had come into contact with a possible case. The results were negative.

We live in South Africa (man, am I proud)! Our government has taken swift action and has not waited! They have taken a no tolerance approach, have a plan for difficult situations (solidarity fund, airing school on DSTV, etc). Nkosi sikelela iAfrika!

We have beautiful weather and big open skies. May I just say that I’m sure I have SAD! I cannot imagine anything worse than living in a dreary country with snow, rain, drizzle where it’s either too wet or too cold to go outside!

That said, we also have big gardens! I am so blessed not to live in a flat or have a garden so small that when you hold out your arms you can touch the boundary. My children have the freedom to run wild in my garden.

We have a car and don’t need to make our way on foot past others who could be infected to get to the shops.

My husband can work from home. There are many who have not lost one salary per household but two. We are not going to be affected in that way during lock down.

I am not scrambling to change wedding plans or being worried about the safety of my unborn child who will arrive during lock down.

I am married to a man who loves me and cares for me. I do not have to fight with the father of my children as to who gets custody during lock down. Nor do I have the worry that some households do where there is abuse and now they are stuck with their abuser for 21 days.

I have a friend in the ER. Should I need advice or help, she is only a phone call away!

We are not in isolation alone. Our friends live on the property. Providing no one is even mildly sick, we have decided to isolate together. We will treat it as a family and only one person will leave the property to get what we all need. Our two toddlers can still play together.

 

And yet, I still feel fear in the face of uncertainty. I have been tempted to stock pile. I have been panicked about how the world will have changed in 21 days and what we will be facing. Will the food run out? Will the cases jump up 14 days after lockdown when we start seeing the results of panic buying? Frankly, it all scares me.

 

But what keeps coming to mind is the Israelites wandering in the desert. God heard their cry and rescued them out of slavery. Imagine, your parents and grandparents have been slaves. What are the chances God would get hundreds of thousands of Israelites out of Egypt? Zero in my mind! How even? Impossible! But He did.

Then Pharoah decides that he can’t live life without his workforce so he chases them. God could have stopped them. But He didn’t…

The Israelites see no way out. There is no where to run if they could even outrun the most advanced army of the time. They are stuck between chariots and horsemen and a sea! Impossible situation! No way out. They’re all going to be slaughtered…or so they think.

God opens, yes, opens, the sea! Impossible!

Then, there is no food. Where in the desert would one find enough food to feed a multitude? An impossible situation. Well God just decides to “rain” down bread from heaven. This is the part I keep thinking about. God provides food in an impossible situation. He could have just made sure that they “stockpiled” before they left Egypt. But He didn’t…

Why? How much more glorious would it be to see that in an a seemingly impossible situation, God shows His glory? And it’s important to note that God said,

“I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.”

Exodus 16:4

That was it. If they didn’t trust that there would be enough and collect extra, maggots would get into them.

Another thing that was likely to happen after forty years in the desert is the need for new clothing. Surely it would be worn out after a few months. Yet not in forty years did anything lose quality.

“Yet the LORD says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.”

Deuteronomy 29:5

 

God was essentially teaching them that they had to trust Him. What is He teaching us now?

Possibly this,

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

Matthew 6:25-34

So, knowing the above, let’s go into lockdown thankful for what we have; trusting and handing over the unknown ahead to the Lord and praising Him that we have the gift of today!

 

Photo Credit: Travis Saylor

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