by Pastor June Barrow
A friend once told me of a decision she made. She would be intentional about choosing a path of discipleship. That meant new commitments to learn the Bible, to pray for herself and others, and to serve God as best she could. And then… she received a diagnosis—breast cancer.
As she talked to me about it, she said, “I had marked out for myself a path of discipleship, a plan to grow in my faith. But here I am on a completely different path, one I would never have chosen and did not see coming. I see now that this is the real path of my discipleship and that the Lord is with me and that this is where my faith will grow.”
So it is with us. Our worship has changed, our classes suspended, our gatherings now virtual. None of us chose this; none of us saw it coming. But for us, for now, this is our path of discipleship.
What is ahead? There will be much prayer, many calls to trust in God, battles of faith against fear and doubt, and fresh awareness of our love for one another. Be honest with God about what you think, feel, and believe. Stand firm on what you know: Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28, NIV).
Though we are surprised by these events, God is not. Though I may be daunted, God is not. He leads, we follow. He keeps us and we are His. We belong to Him. That is our constant security.