Living in the Last Hour

Good morning all! Isn’t it so interesting how you can look out the same window and once in a while you see a slightly different view. Today, it’s a bit foggy outside. Yesterday, it really did rain all day. I told you I don’t believe it is going to rain until I see it. And it rained pretty much the whole day.

So, this is day seven of this fifteen day of the President’s 15 day attempt to slow down this virus. It will be April 18, before restrictions are lifted here. I had heard the city was permanently closing the San Antonio Aquarium for violating the 10 people ordinance. I am waiting to see how this will unfold. This is history in the making.

For us, it’s day 9. We chose to stay in when we came back from NC, on Friday the 13th. Today, is my grandson’s 7th birthday. His mom had to cancel his plans due to this COVID-19. So we will celebrate after all this mess is over. But, two little friends are coming over to play, and eat cake, so my husband and I are taking a drive to the hill country. I figure as long and we are in our vehicle, in the open air – we should be OK.

So, I was praying yesterday, reading and I thought – this stay-at-home- situation is going to test our love, or patience, our loyalties, our sense of right and wrong and many other lessons. As believers, we know where our strength comes from, or at least we should. We trust that God has everything in control. We trust that He will get us through any situation. But. God has this thing about testing our faith. And this country has experienced a lot of growing pains, and as a whole the country has bounced back stronger than ever. In times like these every individual has his or her own story to tell about living through such a time as this.

James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

I Peter 1:6-9 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

So, my husband is a man of faith, but you know these are times that try the hearts of men. So, he has lost a big chunk of money in the stock market. I asked him if he was worried. And of course, he always says no, but, that he is concerned because it’s our bread and butter for our retirement years. He had been thinking about moving it into an annuity or something, but had hesitated. He said he had everything prepared to move it to USAA. He just had to hit a little button. Now, it’s too late. Now he has to wait it out.

We are ok, for now. I give God all the glory that my husband has been wise with his money. But, l said to him that at least we had something to fall back on, however it ends. Many Americans do not have anything to fall back on. They will need help to recover. So, I thought, this time in history, though not anywhere comparable to the Great Depression will try the hearts of all men. Definitely, by the time this over, we will know where our strength comes from and where our faith lies and exactly what we value most.

Psalm 8:3–4
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

So, as we wait out this pandemic, confined to our homes – even while practicing social-distancing, we will face the enemy – but we have to remember, Scripture tells us that we don’t battle against flesh and blood. So every time we look out the window, the weather may be different, the landscape may even change, but it’s your perspective that will determine how you respond.

Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Thank you for reading. Be blessed today and always.