Mystery behind Quarantine
The other day I was on a bike ride praying and pondering all that is going on right now in the world. I don’t believe the Lord brought on this virus, but feel strongly that He will use it for His good and His glory. In the middle of the bike ride, I kept thinking about divine surrender and felt like the Lord wanted me to dig a little deeper into the meaning. I got home and looked up the word surrender in Hebrew and it means to QUARANTINE, hand over or isolate. I was stunned that quarantine meant surrender and knew for sure the Lord was trying to show me something important.
Every person in the world is getting a taste of some form of quarantine/ surrender right now. I believe the world is experiencing a new level of earthly surrender that is making history. We all think we are in control of our lives, but in reality, COVID 19 has interrupted our controlled lives. There have been things that we have trusted in for years and taken for granted that have been uprooted and taken away. We are being forced to surrender our peace, security, finances, health, jobs, social freedoms, etc. No one wants to surrender or hand over any of these things. I also believe there is a spiritual surrender that is in motion too. What do I mean by this? There are two opportunities presented before us as Christians right now and we get to decide which direction we get to go.
First, we have Satan’s invitation to surrender to fear, panic, hysteria, hopelessness, despair, and disease. Second, we have Jesus’ invitation to surrender to peace, perfect love, provision and promise. Which one are you currently living in?
As I reflected again on the words the Lord impressed upon my heart, He reminded me of Psalm 23 and the beauty that lies in surrender. I believe the Lord is inviting us into a new level of surrender where He wants to do a deep work in us, prepare and position us to be used for His glory. Journey with me as we look at Psalm 23 in light of the current global crisis.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Sheep are interesting creatures. They by nature are extremely fearful and anxious animals. Sheep are quieted and reassured by seeing their shepherd. The shepherd knows exactly what sheep need because they do not know how to care for themselves. This sounds a lot like us doesn’t it? We think we know what we need, but do we really know what we need?
David was an expert on sheep and the role of the Shepherd understood trust and surrender better than anyone. I believe he wrote Psalm 23 to teach us about the secret power of surrender and the benefits that come from it.
The thing that caught my attention this time was how the Shepherd makes the sheep lie down because he knows what is best for the sheep. BUT…the only way the sheep will lie down is when they are:
·1. Free from fear- Fear is a liar. It robs us of stillness with the Lord. It keeps us from moving forward. It wants us to believe the impossible is not possible. It clouds our perspective. God’s Answer: Perfect Love. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” 1 John 4:18
2. Free from pests- Pests can be annoying/difficult people, situations and demonic interference. I don’t think we can ever be free completely of pests. BUT, I do think our perspective about these pests in our life can be shifted. God’s Answer: Perspective and Presence. “For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me.” Psalm 27:6
3. Free from hunger- It is tempting to look to other things right now to meet the longings, desires and pain we are experiencing but God will fill you up when you call out to Him. God’s Answer: Provision. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10
God meets all our needs and is giving us an incredible opportunity to embrace surrender like we never have before. Is there anything keeping you from lying down? Is there any area in your heart you need to surrender? The first part is the hardest but the benefits are worth it.
Once you turn things over to Jesus, then you get to step into the supernatural power of surrender. According to Psalm 23, we can look forward to God:
Restoring our souls
Leading us to still waters (peace, life, provision, etc.)
Freeing us from fear as we walk through challenges
Protecting us when faced with evil
Comforting us in the dark valley
Walking with us on our journey
Preparing and providing a table for us in front of enemies
Anointing us with fresh oil
Filling up our cups with whatever has been lacking
Retooling us for our next season
We can resist surrender but will miss our Divine appointment with the Lord. I think this is so much bigger than surrender on a personal level but an opportunity for the corporate bride to collectively practice surrender to prepare us for the mighty move of God that awaits us on the other side of this crisis. My prayer for you this week is to see this time as a gift to press into the Lord, surrender burdens to Him and rest in His goodness. Until next time, may God bless you and your family!