Coming out

Hi how are you all? Well we are still in partial lockdown but there are some things we can now do in my country. How about yours? We can go on a picnic, visit another family or go on a drive within a certain distance from our homes.

My question to you this week is what does coming out of lockdown going to mean for you? For me, I am quite happy working from home and spending time in my house, but I know that is not good for me once restrictions lift. Maybe you have been counting down the days until you can escape from your home.

So let’s look at a few stories in the Bible, where people came out of lockdown. Remember lockdown can look different and be different for others. Lockdown can be prison, it could be because of a virus or war. But one day we will all need to come out of the place where we have been held captive. So let’s look at how others in the Bible navigated this season.

1. Noah (Genesis 6)- God instructed Noah to build an ark to save his family and the animals from the flood that was going to come upon the earth. Noah, his family and the animals were in lockdown in the ark for about one year. Can you imagine that? Most of us want to leave our homes after a few weeks.

So what did Noah do when he came out of the ark? He built an altar to God – a memorial of thanks. Are we going to come out of this season with a grateful heart to God or a bitter heart towards God? We need to come out with thanksgiving on our lips that God has protected us and our families in this crisis. If your family has been touched by this virus, still come out thanking God that He has been your comforter through this season.

2. Joseph (Genesis 41) – Joseph was placed in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He was in there for approximately seven years. Do you think discouragement would have come into his life? Don’t let this happen to you.

Use this time to be grateful. If you need to, write down a couple of things you are thankful for each day. Those things might include that you are safe in your home, your family is safe, you are not sick, your family is being provided for and most of all that God is still with you. That’s what Joseph hung onto – the promise that God was with him.

So what happened to Joseph when He came out? He stepped straight into the destiny of God. What if, through this season, God is preparing you to step straight into your destiny. Are you ready?

3. Jesus – went to hell for three days. Because Jesus took all our sins upon Himself on the cross, He had to die and go to Sheol to actually defeat sin and all its consequences. Was this pleasant for Jesus? No – Jesus had been in the light and was the light, and had never experienced darkness like that before. But He got the job done and defeated sin so that if we accept what He did, we never have to suffer the consequences of sin which is eternal separation from God.

What happened to Jesus? Well, we know what happened, He arose out of there victorious and is our Lord and our Saviour. Because of Jesus, we can live free from guilt and shame and all the rest of the curses in the earth. We can now live in the blessing of God.

What is your story going to be when you come out of lockdown? I hope it will be one of victory and stepping into all God has for you.

Bless you heaps and keep living the life God intended for you.

Karen