1 – We don’t have to live in fear:
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. (Ps. 56:3 NAS)
“The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in Thee. (Isa. 26:3 NAS)
2 – We are assured of God’s presence and goodness even in the face of difficult circumstances:
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6 NAS)
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isa. 41:10 NAS)
¶ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28 NAS)
3 – When we are afraid we can ask God to help us in our time of need.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7 NAS)
¶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:6-7 NAS)
While we trust God in this time of unrest, we also recognize that we are called to be prudent. On Monday the President recommended that we limit our gathering together. The elders and I have spent some time this week praying and discussing what this means for SonRise. While our desire is to continue gathering, we also need to take into account our community and the safety of each member of the church. While we are trusting God and hopeful of a speedy end to the virus, we feel that for this week we need to follow the recommendation of our government.
While we do not do things just to appease our government – we have been called to submit to the authorities God has placed over us. This request was for the sake of slowing the spread of the virus. We feel that for this week we can close down in order to help prevent those in our congregation who may be more susceptible to the harsher symptoms from possibly becoming infected with the virus. We also have taken into account the affects (intended and unintended) meeting would have on our witness in our community. We desire to keep the door open for SonRise to continue shine the Light of the Gospel in this community. To continue gathering has the possible unintended consequences of looking like we are rebellious, and callous to the welfare of our neighbors.
So we are not going to meet this Sunday, March 22. All Life Groups are not meeting this week either. And AWANA is suspended indefinitely due to the schools being closed.
Please understand that we did not make this decision lightly, and it is not an indefinite closure. We will evaluate the circumstances week by week. We are also exploring the idea of posting an audio recording of a Bible study on our website.
In the days ahead, we ask you to pray for our President and our country. There is so much panic and unrest. The only answer to this unrest is salvation in Christ. Pray that many, in their fear, would turn to Christ and find the rest He promises. Pray for our communities. They are trying to navigate this crisis just as we each are. Pray for opportunities for Gospel witness in our community and be ready to respond with the Gospel. Look for ways to encourage and help your neighbor. Pray for one another. Throughout the day would you take time to pray for a couple families in our congregation. Also reach out to the members of our church family – check up on one or more as you think of them. And if you or know of anyone who may have some needs please let one of the elders know – we want to be able to care for one another.
In the days ahead, the elders and I are going to be formulating a plan for congregational care. We will let you know more details as we hammer out the details. May we be the church Christ has called us to be to a lost world.
Praying that God would strengthen and establish you.
Pastor Dave
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