We have had many moods during our year-long pandemic.   I have been thinking about the moods that I have had and would have when at home, which I rarely am therefore I MOSTLY have had much relief to be home, like opportunities to be stuck in a snow day that I was able to prepare for and that I know won’t last. But over the course of a year, we all can have so many emotions… to realize being in the same place can change based on your attitude. Above all, we can care about the way we take on every day. 

Are you stuck at home OR blessed at home OR just home…

If you were home, would you feel glad, sad or mad? If you were home (stuck, blessed, just) would you be fearful, sheltered, careful or actually forgetful of the pandemic? If you were isolating would it be from exposure caution or contemplation? Careful consideration of other people or closet closure away from society for yourself? Hiding or Healing? It’s the same house, how could you have so many different feelings for being home? It is the same place, so WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? OUR MOODS. 

I think that’s our Christian mindsets as well. Our mood and our mode. Are we aware, are we grateful or are we just there? Our mode: are we going anywhere or nowhere. Are we being a disciple to the Lord or dis-placed rather than placed in His service. Are sitting at His feet or not?  It depends on our mood.

If we think of the discipline we sometimes get from the Lord, are we grumpy or grateful for it? It depends on our mood. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13

If we think of how much forgiveness, mercy and grace we get from the Lord, are we feeling embarrassed or feel embraced and enlightened?  It depends on our mood. Either way it’s the same forgiveness, for any and all sin weighted equal. Hebrews 12;5-15 gives words of encouragement: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 

James writes (ch 2): “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you KNOW that the testing of your faith produces PERSEVERANCE. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. “

I am wondering, this year of covid, if we made it a good year or not. If we paid attention to His leading or led ourselves down our own sorrow or ignorance of the opportunities. I would think that so many of us took the opportunities that the Lord placed in front of us – knowing you all, I know you would and you did. THERE IS STILL TIME TO START. We may take CAUTION in our lives. We should CARE for other’s lives. And ALL IN ALL, we MUST acknowledge that we are COMMISSIONED by Jesus to follow Jesus and share Jesus.

No matter what our mood is, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

We can care about the way we take on every day.  Let us take HIS WAY today.    Amen

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.   Hebrews 12:14-15

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   Hebrews 13:8