“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” - Mathew 5: 14-16 (NIV).
Recently, there was a church in Wakiso district, Uganda, that started giving out food baskets for the vulnerable, spread out on particular days. This is truly a worth development in these perilous times. There are other churches which are doing much the same, without fanfare, standing out as sources of comfort in their communities.
A crisis such as a pandemic can be upsetting to us because of the disruption to our lives. Yet it can also be an opportunity to share our faith in Christ in the community where we are. There is a lot of hurting around us. Aside from those without food for lack of steady income, families are affected in many ways. The stress of uncertainty has certainly got to some and caused separations. In between are children whose studies have been disrupted, are anxious and, much in need of counseling. Then there are the sick with Covid 19 and others ailments. On occasion a number are rushed to hospitals only to be weighed down with suffocating bills.
These are opportunities for the church. They present for us prayer points but also actionable items. Some churches may not be in position to do much in their community because their baskets are empty. After all, the doors have been shut and many people give only by physically attending churches for worship. It therefore means that believers need to double their support of the churches by taking advantage of new payment platforms lie Mobile money. Without resources of course there is little churches can do, leave alone meeting the needs of church workers.
Meanwhile churches also need to quickly reinvent themselves. If a church has been under closure for almost a year as a health crowd control restriction measure, it might as well seek alternative tools to reach its community. There are many churches which are regularly reaching out their communities through virtual multimedia tools, such as broadcasting sermons on yu tube channels or Whatsup video uploads, keeping the fire of virtual prayer chains, without going silent. Through these mediums they can share stories of what God is doing in the lives of many and bring hope.
Yes, of course everyone longs for the day when all church doors are swung wide open, for believers to meet and fellowship just as before, but in the meantime it doesn’t mean the church must go silent. More than anything, this is when the church of Christ proves its relevance.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, in the midst of a pandemic as this, in spite of the grief and sorrow around us, yet we thank you for all the opportunities you have birthed around us, to reach our communities and share your love and salvation, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
