COVID-19 Devotionals | Day 7

Welcome to Day 7 of the COVID-19 Devotionals! How did you spend your weekend? We enjoyed time outside walking both in our neighborhood and around a nearby city park. The weather, for the most part, rocked. We also had the chance to watch 3 movies over the weekend that I’ll tell you about in another post.

At the end of last week, I heard a talking head “expert” suggest we shelter-in-place nationwide for 90 days. Hearing this idea stunned me in disbelief. But, now I see that this thing is going to take longer than the next couple of weeks to get past although I believe we are making great strides and much progress in beating this thing.

What exactly is shelter in place?

The sheltering in place aims to help local government cope with different forms of natural disaster, security concerns, traumatic events. Not a new concept, the goal of sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic is to minimize the impact and spread of this disease on the world population. The rules for sheltering in place can vary, but the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says sheltering in place usually means:

• Getting inside: Your family members and pets should go to and stay in your home. Make sure you stock up on emergency supplies.
• Staying put: You and your family will want to stay home until officials say lift the shelter in place order.

What steps do you need to take to ensure a successful shelter in place experience?

1. During the current shelter-in-place orders, we are told to stay indoors as much as possible and only leaving home when really necessary. Outdoor spaces like patios, porches, and yards are still okay to hang out in. Walking the dog is okay as long as we practice social distancing (keeping six feet between us and others).
2. Walking, jogging, and biking are certainly acceptable provided you and I practice social distancing. Essential services like grocery shopping, fueling up the car, picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy and picking up mail at the Post Office are all perfectly okay to continue doing.
3. Be sure to avoid touching anything when you are outside, especially light signals, poles, signs, playground equipment and benches. Coronavirvus stays on some surfaces for hours.
4. When you’re at home, limit having people come over to visit.
   • Leverage technology, like video chatting or making phone calls to stay connected to others.
5. Use delivery services for groceries, meals and other items you need if those services are available in your area.
   • Be sure to clean the packaging with sanitizing wipes before you put them away or put them on a home service.
   • Be sure to wash open foods, like fruits and vegetables, before you eat them.

(Sources: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes for Health, Prevention.com, and Ready.gov.)

This is certainly a stressful time in each of our lives. There are those of us who are working on the frontlines caring for those who are ill with the virus. Many of us are learning to working from home, adapting our lives, and wondering if we will have a job when this is all over. The anxiety, fear, and panic that people are experiencing is real. People are hurting. Millions filed for unemployment benefits this past week.

On Sunday, while we were at our local park, Terri and I prayed for you, our neighbors, our community, our nation and this world. Individually, we are virtually powerless to overcome this virus. But Terri and I both know that our lives don’t rest in our hands but in the hands of God. We know that God is good and that He loves us and will care for us. We trust that the Lord will see us through this storm. Our faith, although stretched to the hilt, remains strong because we know that in the Lord we can seek refuge and shelter. We know that He is our strength and our helper in times of trouble. We know that God is for us and not against us.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

We realize this is not an easy time for anyone. Know that we continue to lift you up in prayer. Together, and with God’s help, we will overcome this terrible virus.

Remember to wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home to help save lives.

May God’s peace comfort you during these difficult times.

In Christ,

The Devotional Guy™

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