Strange days with danger around us… we may be unsettled or insecure, even scared. That is natural- our bodies respond to threats by getting us ready for “fight or flight” but this pandemic is caused by something we can’t see. That seems worse somehow.
The photographs were taken at Vancouver Aquarium, where strange shapes move in even stranger ways. Jellyfish- what oddities of creation! Tanks full of them in different colours, semi-transparent, fascinating and scary. Some are very dangerous with a venomous sting that can cripple or kill. Sounds like a virus!
The lighting in the tanks was done for maximum effect, and they pulsed through the water as if from another planet.
My thought today is a simple one. Those tanks were made of VERY strong glass and kept us safe from both jellyfish and drowning. We viewed them safely and securely. Well, our lives are surrounded by an even stronger protection: God’s faithful love protects us. We are NOT guaranteed immunity but our very being is kept safe in God’s grasp: He will be with us in life, through death, in eternity. Take that, virus. You can scare us and infect us- but you cannot destroy us or take away our value to God and our loved ones.
I invite you to meditate on three verses (below) which remind us of the promises of God; and our responsibility to live with godly integrity. God shows love and compassion to us; we should show that same love, and seek a safe society that is compassionate and just.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure. – Psalm 16:8-9
Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. – Psalm 112:4
This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ – Zechariah 7:9-10
Closing prayer:
Lord God, I pray for Your protection this day. You are my hiding place, and under Your wings I can always find refuge. Protect me from trouble wherever I go, and keep evil far from me. No matter where I am, I will look to You as my Protector, the One Who fights for me every day. Your love and faithfulness, along with Your goodness and mercy, surround me daily, so I will not fear whatever might come against me. My trust is in You, God, and I give thanks to You for Your love and protection. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Reflectionary 