I so long for normalcy, for life to go back to the way it was. And I’m thinking you do, too. But I’ve had to face the fact that normalcy is not possible right now, and that some aspects of life may not go back to the way things were before the coronavirus. For some of us, our lives have not been disrupted all that much; but for others among us the disruption has been significant, life-altering.
Now, I have to admit that some changes I have had to make over the past two and a half months have come with welcome benefits. For instance, I’ve had lunch with my husband, Gil, a lot more often because we’ve both been working from home. But the truth is that all change requires adjustments, some of which are not always pleasant. It is important to recognize we are grieving the loss of normalcy.
God understands what we are feeling. He understands the effects of sudden and life-altering events. The Bible is full of people who have had to deal with a cataclysmic loss of normalcy. Think of King David on the run after Saul plots to kill him, or when his son Absolom usurps his throne. David didn’t go looking for trouble; it was foisted upon him and he had to live with the consequences. But he didn’t have to do it alone. We see in Scripture how the Lord is at work in the midst of human grief and loss and the reasons for it.
As many of you know, my mother died on the night before Easter. Your cards and letters have been so comforting. Yet, in the days following it, I was feeling quite detached from her death because there was no opportunity to grieve with my siblings and extended family; it wasn’t safe for many of us to travel. My mom’s burial was in Michigan where my family is from and only my brother and sister and their spouses who live in northern Ohio could get there.
However, God had a way through this impasse. My niece scheduled a Zoom meeting for me, Gil and our son, Caleb, and for my nephews and cousins, and my brother brought his phone to the cemetery. Those of us who were online got to watch the brief committal service “together” in a manner of speaking. And I have to say that it was a powerful experience. I was able to weep. It was the first time I had done so. I could see my mother’s casket being lowered into the grave. That was important. And I got to share this experience with my family, even though we couldn’t be with one another in person. Later, as we exchanged emails with one another, we reminisced about my mother – the kind of thing we would have done had we all been together. But it all worked for me, even though it wasn’t ideal. God showed up and gave me what I needed, despite this pandemic. That is who he is. That is what he does.
So although we have all lost a sense of normalcy, we have not lost the Lord. He is at work, even now, in each of our lives. We may not get what we want, but he will find a way to provide what we need. We can count on that.
