Despite the circumstances that we find ourselves in, it may be fair to say that more and more of a silver lining is breaking through the clouds of these past months and what we all are going through together. The preciousness of life is even more pronounced as we learn of those who have passed, and all those currently struggling. We are clearly seeing so much loving care and selfless service given by those on the front lines, and we all are most thankful and indebted for that giving.
It may also be fair to say that many of us are feeling closer to our neighbors and finding ourselves looking more outward than inward. There is a gentle calm going on as we look out from the windows of our homes. We see folks taking quiet walks at day’s end, with noticeable nods, waves, and hellos in their warm greetings as they pass by.
There is a profound unity of purpose seen in many places. Many people are pulling together and seeking to help alleviate fear and preserve greater safety as best they can. It feels like we all are being nudged, maybe pushed is a better word, to reevaluate and reflect on what is important in life.
But we are also very aware of an anxiousness if not a tangible fear about the present and future. There are so many needs to be met, especially for those vulnerable now, and going forward. Human ability to meet those needs have their limitations as we have seen in news across our TV screens and online.
As some individuals’ situations become more tenuous, being compassionate in respecting one another’s perspective and understanding one another’s needs will be essential in moving forward together. Abraham Lincoln’s closing words in his First Inaugural Address may be helpful to consider as signs of division surface: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
So, even with the best of intentions in people’s hearts to find solutions, we are also aware of a narrow vantage point and framework to work within, besides an elusive time frame on top of that. The goal posts keep moving along with the end zone. So, is there something else that we can turn to? How can we more fully protect and help ourselves, our loved ones, neighbors, community, and world? Well, what about divine help? Judging by its seeming absence when watching the news, it can seem to be forgotten, ignored, or considered irrelevant. Can we conceive of it in a primary role instead of a backup or supportive role? The psalmist writes, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
All the unnerving fluctuation and uncertainty is impelling us to find something reliable to put our trust in, and that is practical. There are timeless precedents of protection and healing in dire circumstances throughout the Bible, and in the experiences of many people down through the centuries, including some of our own. Even if turning to God and the Scriptures to meet our need is not one’s first tendency, or seems a stretch at that, it still remains present, here and now as a powerful source for help, comfort, and healing.
The truth one can find and feel here provides a reason for faith and hope. It gives us grace. It brings us peace. It blesses. And it is so well summarized in Hebrews 11:1, where we read, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” These things unseen by the material senses can become known in our hearts as true substance. This is the place where prevention and cure can be discovered. And no one is incapable of perceiving this truth when our hearts and thoughts are open to it.
Bible truths can help calm fear and even stop it. In I John 4:18 we read, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.” This love is God, and this same passage also says, “God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” Based on that, safety and peace dwell here.
Where we dwell in thought makes all the difference. What if we begin with the Lord’s Prayer? Thinking and listening as we pray deeply about the meaning of each line, we can gain light and understanding of what is possible, what is spiritually true already, which in turn comforts us as the law of God. We can also feel a growing sense of and reason for safety as we dwell on the protecting power found in Psalm 91, Psalm 23, and Isaiah 41:10 to name a few. Just having a grateful trust goes a long way. Faith and hope bring greater calm and an expectancy of good, quieting fear and surmounting human calculations and speculations.
How much more tragedy may we avert, and how much more unity, progress and health might we achieve and experience by devoting thought to this? Could it change the whole course? Can we fairly consider what is possible with God? In John 8:31-32, Jesus gives these assuring words, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” His words ring true today and for all time. That truth is life giving, life preserving, and it is felt as the kingdom of God within us. It applies to everyone. It is there for all. It heals.
We can turn to this guidance so that those in authority can be guided to make fair and wise decisions as we move forward together. The human evidence we see of love and care is the very evidence of God’s love for us, and God is not the cause of any element of evil. In Habakkuk 1:13 we read, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity…” From the very beginning of creation in Genesis 1:31 we also can confirm, “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” That includes all of us, and that is true normalcy.
As we move forward together, we are increasingly conscious that we are all in this together as a community, nation, and world family. Working together we will inevitably make greater and more thoughtful progress. More things will be corrected and new solutions found. We will learn from this and have a wider and more loving sense of our world.
We can truly see already, a reason for faith and hope.
Brad Hughes is a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Lynn-Swampscott. It was in Swampscott in 1866 where Mary Baker Eddy had a spiritual healing that led to her founding of Christian Science in Lynn.