Many years ago, our former Senior Pastor, Peter Bath, preached a sermon entitled, ”Standing in the Gap”. I cannot remember all the details of his sermon, but the gist of his presentation was that when Church members are going through tough times, we are all called to lift one another up in a myriad of ways.
As I considered this article, that sermon sprang to mind. The question that you and I must ask ourselves is, how can you and I actually be the church during this pandemic? The church at its best is a living vibrant community of believers sharing their lives together. In Acts 3 we are told that ”…all who believed were together and had all things in common; And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Think about the intimacy those believers shared!
Almost thirty years ago, my sister, Jan, died of breast cancer at the age of forty four. She left behind two girls, ages fourteen and eleven. It was a really difficult time for me and for a long time I could not pray. It seemed pointless. I started avoiding church; I ‘lost touch’ with folks. Then I came to church one Sabbath and unbeknownst to me, my potluck team was serving lunch! I quickly took some money to slip to the team leader, who at the time was Kathy Thomson. She took me into the Discipleship room and said, “Kathy, I don’t want your money; I want you! You need your church right now!!! Moreover, we need you. So go get a plate and tell me how your nieces are faring.” That single conversation made me realize how much I needed my church as I grieved. To this day, Kathy Thomson remains one of my dearest friends as she clearly stood in the gap for me.
So, the question is, how can you and I stand in the gap during this time of COVID-19? Obviously, we are all stuck at home. Some of us are experiencing financial difficulties beyond belief. Others may be very lonely as we work from home with very little human interaction. Some married couples are stressed to the max as they struggle to balance working from home with kids ‘distance learning.’
Is it even possible to live out the Gospel right now, albeit from afar? Or is the church merely a spectator sport we must put on hold until this virus is conquered? I say that the church is a living vital part of each of us, and we can stand in the gap right now in all kinds of ways. How? I am glad you asked!
First and foremost, we must keep each other in our prayers! I try to pray regularly for members who are going through tough times. If you are not sure who or how to pray for people you may not even know, don’t worry. Just ask the Lord to bless all at Sligo who are in need. Surely He will hear such prayers!
If your family is financially able, consider ways that you can share your good fortune with others. Consider donating to Adventist Community Services Center and/or other food banks in our area. Too many in our community are going hungry and each of us should find this disturbing.
A few weeks ago, members of Sligo invited Ed and me, plus another couple over for a ‘bring-your-own-lunch’ outdoor picnic. It was wonderful to share those precious Sabbath hours. When all else fails, there is always the telephone and/or Zoom! We have Sabbath afternoon Zoom lunches all the time! While it is not the actual potluck experience, these interactions nevertheless sustain us.
Standing in the gap calls you and me to a deeper commitment to one another. During these strange COVID times we must be both creative and deliberate about being the Church.
May God grant each of us the willingness to stand in the gap for one another.