Responding to this season of loss

David Bowman April 28, 2020

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

An appointment was on my calendar for around a year. Unfortunately, that much-anticipated time slot was freed up due to unforeseen circumstances. Major League Baseball, along with practically everything else in the world, is shut down right now. That means our fantasy baseball league draft is on hold until the season shows promise of beginning at some yet-to-be-determined date. That also means that I will not be able to defend my two championships in this league until someday yet to be determined.

I miss baseball. 

I always tweet those three little words as soon as the last out of the World Series is recorded each autumn. The end of the Fall Classic means winter has arrived. Those sad months without nachos and no-hitters linger far too long.

In place of the draft, I comforted myself with ESPN’s replays of Roger Clemens, DBU’s Kerry Wood, Randy Johnson, and Max Scherzer’s 20 strikeout games. My bride and I also watched “The Rookie” about Jimmy Morris on Friday night; and then watched “42” about Jackie Robinson on Saturday night. I love it when baseball and the gospel connect so deeply. 

Our next-door neighbor is a trainer for the Texas Rangers Baseball Club. He and his wife were out for a walk a couple of days ago and we crossed paths with them. While maintaining our six-foot buffer, we chatted about life. I told him I was ready for him to go back to work. He is ready to do so. We talked about what it will take to get the season underway. 

Sweet hour of prayer

Grace Kelly (no, not that one) is a jazz musician of some note. Her album Grace is filled with great gospel hymns. She sings and plays on Sweet Hour of Prayer. What a precious reminder of a beautifully productive way to fill our moments and days in this season of waiting. 

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, 

that calls me from a world of care 

and bids me at my Father’s throne 

make all my wants and wishes known! 

In seasons of distress and grief, 

my soul has often found relief, 

and oft escaped the tempter’s snare 

by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

Thank you, William Walford for the lyrics, and William Bradbury for the music. Thank you, old friend John Simons and the rest of the editorial team who included this favorite hymn in the Celebrating Grace Hymnal.

While being confined to our homes, a person can watch only so much Netflix and Disney+. How do we fill the hours and days? How about we try prayer and praise?

Pray for our daily bread

Let us pray for our daily bread. When we pray this model prayer that Jesus gave us (Matthew 6:9-13), we seek more than baseline nourishment. We seek all that we need from the giver of all good things (Jas. 1:17). 

Jesus talks about abiding in him in John 15. We are in a season of abiding, resting, waiting, longing, seeking. This is a season we will likely look back on someday with a wistful gratitude. There are treasures here in this rocky ground. Jesus said in v. 7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you,” (CSB). 

What do we want?

• For ourselves?
• For our families and friends?
• For medical researchers?
• For hospital personnel?
• For government officials?
• For supply chain managers?

Praise God for who He is

The same God who spun stars into space with his creative words, who formed Adam from dust and Eve from Adam, who parted seas and rivers and made a way where there was no way, who empowered a God-confident teenager to take out a giant warrior, who stood with his servants in the flames, who closed the mouths of lions, who raised his Son from the dead, is still in charge today. 

The whole world is in position to hear the great good news. 

Who would have thought our present circumstances possible? Yet here we are. How could we not praise God for who he is? How could we not thank him for the thousands upon thousands we hear who are coming to him now?

Let us fill our days with unhurried prayer and unending praise.

Photo source: istock 

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as a Multiplying Trainer for Future Church Co. Learn More »

• Between headlines and hope (by )
• How to walk with grieving friends: what I’ve learned through personal loss (by Tom Crenshaw)
• The power of showing up: embracing God’s presence in every moment (by Christopher Beth)
• Is this what God is up to in your life? (by Carey Nieuwhof)

Free eBook

Steps to Launching Your Personal Workplace Ministry

Have you ever felt the pull to full-time ministry work as a missionary or pastor? If not, you can still make a Kingdom impact without quitting your current job. In this eBook, you will learn the four essentials that can change your perspective of work, your workplace, and most importantly, your heart.

Download Now