Day 49: "This Too Shall Pass"

DAY 49

Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

WEEK SEVEN: SATURDAY 2 MAY 2020

This Too Shall Pass

“Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. This too shall pass. God never changes.

Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough.” - Theresa of Avila 1515-1582

What began in March and took us through April now sees us at the door of May, with no indication of when we will be able to cautiously emerge back into things the way they used to be, carrying with us an inner wariness of an unseen enemy that will still be lurking around somewhere. Until then, we remain in the ‘hunkered down’ status advised by Dr. Anthony Fauci, wondering how long it will be before all this will pass, be over.

Adele Besserman, 90, a Jewish survivor of the Nazi occupation of Poland in World War II, has observed regarding the present pandemic and its restrictions on free movement: “Right now I’m obeying whatever we are told to do for the better for me and the rest of the people, but I’ll tell you the truth, this will pass. We survived a war and we’re here. We’re going to survive this, too. And we understood – us children - this too shall pass. With God’s help, we will survive.” - Newspaper interview of holocaust survivors, 17 April 2020

For Adele Besserman, as a child the duration of the war was totally unknown. Hindsight gives gifts, and one of them is her observation that just as the war passed, so will the present pandemic.  The plea ‘how long?’ is universal throughout history and contemporaneously. Whether it be a root canal, chemotherapy, Parkinsons’ Disease, a deep grief over a personal loss, or an invisible pandemic, God has placed within us all a uniquely human awareness of the concept of ‘how long?’ From the plaintive cry of the Psalmist wanting to know the duration of the assault of his enemies – “How long will my enemy triumph over me?” Psalm 13:2, to Habbakuk wondering how long it will be before God answers his prayer – “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” Habakkuk 1:2, we all live in the world of ‘how long?’     

Even Jesus knew a painful ‘how long’ on the cross: “… why have you forsaken me?” - Mark 15:34.

Reflective question: Where is there a ‘how long’ in your heart? Talk to the Lord about it today.

Reflective Scripture: Psalm 37:7 – “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; …”

Reflective hymn:

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past” – Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all our years away;

They fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the opening day.