This Too Shall Pass

By Richard Cohrs

Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. Isaiah 26:20

Isaiah knew that we would face times when danger would come upon us. He cautions us to enter into our chambers and shelter in place for a little while, until the fury has passed.

Educators understand this as they practice tornado and shelter-in-place drills, preparing the students to close themselves in and hide until the danger passes. No teacher wants to experience firsthand a tornado or an active shooter, but everyone takes comfort in knowing the proper precautions are in place to ensure maximum safety.

God’s people know how Isaiah’s words have been practiced throughout history: Noah hid with his family in the ark, the children of Israel shut themselves inside during Passover, and Rahab took refuge in her home when Jericho was conquered. Sheltering is sometimes the best way to preserve the family.

When the tornado siren wails, we rush to shelter. When the flood waters threaten, we run to high ground. When fires advance, we seek safety. We know how to hide ourselves from danger.

Most recently the COVID-19 pandemic afforded the country a time to enter into our chambers and hide ourselves until the fury passed. However, this time there were no practice drills, no direction on how long, or even if we would be safe from danger. It was a time of fear and stress.

In a very short period of time the country was faced with inventing a new normal that would protect the most vulnerable, while maintaining as much of a stable routine as possible.

No longer would congregations be allowed to gather together for worship. No longer would schools be filled with students and teachers. No longer would office building bustle with the business of the day. The world was faced with a changing form for business as usual.

Literally overnight educators were faced with the task of establishing a process for continuous education, as pupils were ordered to remain home. In addition to providing for the children, educators had to devise methods to help stressed parents who were struggling with working from home and monitoring their child’s education. For some parents, the task was compounded as they were forced to continue to venture outside the home to perform the essential services needed to maintain life and health.

Teachers did what teachers do, use the available resources to adapt and prevail. Many thanked God for the incredible gift of high-speed internet and the virtual connections it made possible. Educators moved from face-to-face to Zoom, letting students see their teachers and be reassured by them. Churches used LiveStream, YouTube, and dozens of other platforms to continue to provide the words of hope and comfort needed by the people.

The form changed, but the substance stayed the same: God is our ever-present refuge from the storms that threaten to tear us away from this life and to destroy our faith.

The world has always been and will always be a dark and scary place, filled with illness, disasters, setbacks, hatred, mistrust, and death.

But the darkness did not win on Golgotha, nor will the darkness win now. For we bask in the light of the open tomb, the light of the world, Jesus, who brings us hope and eternal life.

As we continue our life journey, we will face many tomes of trials and tribulations. Some will be shared by society, like the COVID-19 pandemic, most will be private struggles.

We can take comfort in knowing that when we can’t take all the necessary human precautions, God will give us His protection.

There will come a time when our life on this earth is ended, then we will be released from our hiding place into the eternal glory of everlasting life, a time with no storms, no illness, no fury, no death.

We praise and thank God.

REFLECTION: What fury will you need to hide from today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are our refuge and strength. We thank You for the gift of Jesus, our Savior from sin and death. Be with us as we face trials and tribulations, strengthen us to always proclaim You, to always trust in You, to always shelter in You, In the name of Jesus, Amen.

©2020 Richard Cohrs
Retired Lutheran educator