PANICThe whole world seems to be on fire right now - everyone hiding away and acting out of self-preservation in fear of disease. This year has truly been one of catastrophe and shock. As the news has spread word of COVID19 as a ‘pandemic,’ families flock to stores to buy out as much toilet paper, meat, and baby formula as possible. The sad part? They’re not using the formula for babies... it’s a replacement for milk at the expense of actual babies who’s parents can find a lick of formula on the shelves to feed. People are terrified and the media is flexing; where does our help come from in this situation? Our help still comes from above, and I’d love to remind you of why today in hopes of restoring peace of mind to you and yours. “Life springs forth...”Some of you may know how much of a tree-hugging ecology nerd I am, and for those of you who don’t, you’re about to hear it so brace yourselves. A couple days ago I was walking with two of my closest friends through the woods behind our school; we had just received news as a student body that our school was closing and our graduation events were cancelled. This was devastating news that made all of us question our four years of hard work - it made us question the promises of God for the most part. It’s been so easy to forget that all of these extreme measures of precaution are preventative, and not in response to a direct fatal crisis on our community (although that has been the case for many regions and institutions). We’ve all felt pretty vulnerable and weak as of late. As we walked through the mud, through the fields, and through the towering forest into the mountains, I couldn’t help but notice all of the destruction that lay around my feet. There were branches broken off everywhere, debris covered our pathway forward, and everything was torn to shreds by the windstorm the day before. To be honest, I was feeling pretty discouraged at this sight, especially after the hard news, but I soon was reminded in my ecological geekiness of what was actually happening in this ecosystem that seemed to display so much chaos and destruction. You see, the interesting thing about most ecosystems is that when cataclysmic devastation hits, it’s often a make-or-break scenario. When fires sweep through a forest, often life arises in the next season with exuberant beauty and flourishing. I remember when a fire struck the Okanagan years ago, we were all in complete panic and were horrified at the kind of damage that the fires had done to our backyards and to our wilderness. Surely enough, the next spring, there were tiny green blooms that were arising out of the blackness and the ashes like nothing I had ever seen before - life had triumphed out of such intense darkness and death. This same effect goes for windstorms. In the case of devastating windstorms like the one we had here in Abbotsford for two-three days, forests are often ripped to shreds forming the picture full of debris and brokenness like the one I witnessed and depicted to you. But the effects unseen are what have the authority. It all makes sense when you understand how trees and many wild plant species repopulate - the wind. You see, pollination and reproduction of new life can only occur when there is some kind of carrying vector like the wind to spread seeds to new nurseries for new life to birth and take form. In short, all of the debris and brokenness that I was walking through on my walk was not representative of a victory by the darkness, but rather an opportunity for new life. The old, broken and weak branches that were snapped off and lie now in the soil are the foundation for nutrients and decomposition that can take place to support new life, and the pollen and spores and seeds that were thrown to all corners of the forest can now find themselves in new opportunity to take root and to grow in a place they’ve never done so before. The devastation of such a volatile and intense windstorm was not at all representative of the ecosystem’s actual health or status; in fact, it is a minor blow to catalyze brand new opportunity and brand new life. Seeds truly cannot be planted without the wind. His Sovereignty Still ReignsMy friend posted scripture earlier, and I’ve been pondering it ever since. It comes from Isaiah 43:16-21, which says, “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army, and warrior; they lie down and cannot rise, they are extinguished and quenched like a wick: Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not see it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I am the One who gives water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” This piece of scripture is not just an encouraging sentiment, no. It is the full truth of God’s sovereignty, even in the midst of pandemic and the windstorm. God is still the ‘Logos,’ the rhyme and the reason to the universe, so I implore you to holdfast to His promises even as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, even as you walk through the forest of devastation and destruction, even as you walk through a culture of panic and terror. He is still sovereign, He is still in control, He is still working, Watch and see that He is doing a new work and planting seeds even so. Be blessed with hope today, friends. - Rebekah
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So happy to see this, Rebekah. I found myself wondering earlier today about how you were dealing with this pandemic and what God was revealing about it fo you. I’m heartbroken that your graduation has been disrupted but I am grateful to see how you have put this all in perspective.
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