Re-entry from the Bunker Day 34

Re-entry. From the Bunker Day 34

Have you ever watched an Apollo space craft perform a re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere? It’s quite exciting. The angle and pitch have to be just right. The friction is so great that just the slightest miscalculation would incinerate the capsule. Communication between NASA control and the pilots is lost during that crucial moment. Everyone has to trust that the engineers designed the capsule correctly. The mechanics and electricians hope that the redundancies they built in were done to precision. The commanders know they trained the crew well and are confident in their ability to do their job. 

Finally it breaks through the clouds, and parachutes filled with air slowly bring the capsule to rest in the sea. Everyone applauds, the crew wave in heroic relief, and their families are glad they are home safely.

It’s what heroism is all about.

I have been thinking about the churches re-entry as the President unfolded his three phase

plan to get the economy started again. It’s important that we do this correctly. It would be horrible if we just opened the doors and someone got sick and died because of our carelessness. Don’t get me wrong, I would be the first person leading the charge to get everyone together, but one misstep and we go up in flames. But you know this isn’t the first time the church has had to go through this type of re-entry for a stay at home order. The following is rule number 5 put out by the government in 1918 in order to slow down influenza.

Churches, theaters, lodges, clubs and other similar places of meeting shall be limited to attendance to one half of the normal seating capacity; and all persons admitted must be seated with an empty seat on all four sides, i.e., in a checkerboard arrangement, and no person shall be allowed to remain standing, any person sneezing or coughing must immediately withdraw from the room and if he or she fails to comply he or she must be removed from the room by the parties having charge thereof or supervision thereover. (I have attached the full set of rules for your enjoyment).

The point is that this isn’t the first time the government and the country has had to deal with an outbreak and set in place draconian measures to eliminate the threat. As King Solomon said, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new?’ It has been already in the ages before us.” Ecclesiastes 1:9,10

I take comfort in Solomon’s observation. We worry so much that this might be the end of the world, yet it has happened before and God has brought the world through all the epidemics and pandemics of history. That, of course, is the big picture. What we usually worry about is the pain that we experience today. When you or someone you know is the victim of a disease, the promise that God will not wipe out the entire planet today is not that comforting. But we live in a sin cursed world where death is always a possibility. Jesus said, 

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:29-32

What does all of this have to do with re-entry? 

1.     There is nothing new under the sun, so we can take comfort in God’s providence in this situation. 

2.     If he takes care of the birds he will take care of us. 

3.     He uses the church. Each person doing their part to minister to one another..

We will open our doors again. It may look a little different at first, but just being together, waving at you as you come in, and praising the Lord together in the same place will be awesome! That’s what heroic moments are made of. I’m just saying.

From the Bunker