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Sparkling Isolation
April 17, 2020
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I recently saw a meme that read, "It's not quarantine unless you're in France. Otherwise, it's sparkling isolation." If you don't enjoy champagne as much as I do, you may not understand the joke. These marvelous wines with nose-tickling bubbles are used to celebrate so many wonderful moments in our lives. They have various names based upon where and how they are made, e.g., brut, prosecco, cava, etc. Most of us call any wine with bubbles "champagne" and every now and then a wise person who wants to put a damper on the celebration will remind us that unless it's made in the Champagne region of France, it's sparkling wine - not champagne.
After my laughter it hit me that our current situation of sheltering in place is actually a lot like sparkling wine. How many times have we wished to be able to work from home? To sleep in on Saturday morning with a clear calendar? For peace and quiet? A break from people and the world? Many, many times. Because the coronavirus has forced us into this position, we call it a quarantine. Yuck! What if we start to see it as a sparkling isolation? Like Champagne and Prosecco, quarantine and sparkling isolation look the same and function the same, but one is sweeter than the other.
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"For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
Matthew 11:30 NLT
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Lord Almighty, you turned water to wine. You turn our sadness to joy. Turn this time in our lives into something meaningful, something for our good and your glory. Help us to see it differently. Amen!
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Have you ever known someone whose life was headed in the wrong direction and it seemed like everyone could see it clearly but the person to whom it was happening? When we are in a situation we can't always see clearly. Our love, pain, desire, needs, etc. make the situation difficult to assess and even more difficult to remedy. The problem with COVID 19 is that we're all in this together. So, together, we need help to see clearly. The key to turning our quarantine into sparkling isolation is to listen (and follow) God.
In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus had just finished a prayer of gratitude and was now making a plea to follow Him. He starts by saying, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." That's pretty much everybody. However, even before the global pandemic hit, if you think back, you've probably said to God on more than one occasion, "I need a break."
Rest
The virus has clouded our vision but if we step back and look closely God has given us the much needed break that we asked for. No more chaotic carpools and crowded commutes. Don't let the circumstances of your isolation keep you from the benefit. Sparkling isolation gives you time to rest.
Learn from God
In v. 29 Jesus says, "Let me teach you." The way God teaches us is through His word. You don't need to be a Bible scholar but you do need to understand what God promises; what he will and will not do. Some people aren't sheltering in place. They ignore the CDCs recommendations because they purport to be walking by faith. These people missed Luke 4 when the devil quoted Psalm 91:11-12 to trick Jesus into jumping from a cliff because God promises to protect us from harm. Jesus, the Living Word, in response quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 "You must not test the Lord your God." Reading is fundamental. Reading your Bible is mission critical. Sparkling isolation is God's way of keeping us safe.
Move with God
Jesus said "My yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light." (v. 30) The "light burden" Jesus promises is not a life free from pain and trials. It means that we do not bear these trials alone. A yoke is a neck harness that connects two animals so they move together. We are yoked to Jesus. Follow his lead. Continue to love and not fear. Continue to give and not worry. Continue to have faith. Sparkling isolation gives you peace of mind.
Keep Positive Connections
In Hebrews 10:25, the Bible tells us not to neglect meeting together so that we can encourage one another. We're not just connecting for the sake of connecting. The Bible is clear that our connection is for a purpose-- to encourage one another. Purposely connect with others. Redirect the conversation if it turns negative. Sparkling isolation allows you to display your faith.
In addition, be mindful to connect with positive music and TV that lifts your spirits, not feeds your fear and anxiety. Psalm 119:37 tells us to turn our eyes from "worthless things" and give us life through God's word. We all love binge watching right now. Just make choices that have a positive impact on your thoughts and actions.
Being yoked to Jesus is sparkling isolation, not quarantine. It means we don't have to be locked into the daily news and be consumed by COVID 19 information every moment. We can take some time to enjoy this break. Let's follow the instructions of our faith not to be anxious or worry about anything. Let's follow the CDC guidelines and believe God to keep us safe.
Pray. Read Your Bible. Wash Your Hands.
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