Thursday Writing...4/16/20..."Could it? I Think Not"

Today's Devotional

" Could it? I Think Not"

Shared by 

Cathy Friberg

 Please Read this little poem and then I will share some comments.

How The Virus Stole Easter  

By KristiBothur...With a nod to Dr. Seuss

‘‘Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They You Tubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“On line and at home it won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Pooh Pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now no Easter is coming.”

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will cry boo-hoo.”

“That noise,” said the world “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started out low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine 
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And what happened then?
Well.....the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one or two or more people needing hope in this night?
Will you share the source of life in this fight.

The churches are empty - but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection 
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that - 
Let it start a revival.

I am thinking about the virus as a symbol for the devil. Satan is always doing all he thinks he can get away with to bring doubt of Jesus into our minds. He basically knows he is already is defeated. Still he keeps on trying to take us away from the God who loves us and wants us with Him for eternity.

This little ditty goes on to say that the virus (Satan) has stolen Easter. Once again the devil looses. Since this pandemic has been tormenting people with rules to "shelter in place, to avoid letting anyone who is not a member of the household into our house, to wear masks, to stay six feet away from any other human. Life as we know it is no longer the life we are living.

It is lovely to think of all the kindness, sacrifices, and all kinds of reaching out in ways we have not seen in daily life for many, many years. The fact is that the ending words of the Dr. Seuss writing are already happening, We are seeing  these final statements are happening.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection 
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival.
But not only that - 
Let it start a revival.

So virus / satan you have not succeeded now, nor will you ever manage/ to steal Easter.

He is risen...He is risen indeed