Dear Friends,
“…Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.”
Romans 12:11-13 (The Message).
A friend of mine is a passionate football fan. He shared with me how much he has missed watching his much-loved game, either a live match or on TV, during this lockdown. He went on to tell me that he recently watched the Bundesliga (German Football league) which was played in a stadium with empty seats as there were no spectators due to social distancing rules. Some would say this was ‘better than no football at all’. For my friend, it was not the same, the atmosphere was different. He was frustrated by an empty stadium with no fans who would have normally cheered and given moral support to the players.
You can imagine the frustration in my friend. May be like him, you and I have our frustrations too that come in different ways and from different causes. For me, homeschooling has been my nightmare under the lockdown. Yet, I must ensure that the children get the necessary support in their studying. Having to attend virtual meetings (Zoom, Google, WhatsApp), recording sermons/ reflections for online worship e.t.c. The routine has become a monotony…and it makes one lose excitement about almost everything. I have heard someone say, ‘its getting boring…’ and you may have heard that too. I sometimes feel tired like everyone else.
And, friend, when you find yourself in this place, where enthusiasm seems to be gone, I urge you to be reminded in this scripture; “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord”.
Romans 12:11 (NIV)
Paul is warning us to keep our spiritual fervour, in case we might lose it. I am encouraging you to take your responsibility, do not be complacent. I would like to persuade and pray for you to keep your ‘fire burning’ for the Lord. In short, Paul is urging us to be “all in” both spiritually and emotionally, when it comes to serving the Lord and serving each other.
Despite the ongoing challenge with COVID 19, we are called to keep in prayer if we mean to keep our zeal for the Lord. Prayer isn’t about controlling my circumstances. It’s about accessing the strength and love I need to get through anything.
May the Lord watch over your coming and going, and may He sustain you under the abundance of His grace.
Your Friend & Minister,
Revd. Adam Nyawo