The Seemingly Impenetrable Fog of COVID-19!

Having lived in Oregon and Washington and having been to the coast on numerous occasions, I am somewhat familiar with fog.  I’ve been in the wispy type that moves and shifts to the pea soup variety that seems to envelope all of life.  The latter is no fun.  It feels much like a dark, impenetrable, wet blanket.

When fog is thick, landmarks seem to disappear, making it hard to find your way.  Dense fog even seems to absorb sound or distorts it so that it becomes almost unrecognizable.

COVID-19 seems to have fog-like qualities.  Landmarks, in the form of routines and regular events, have either disappeared, become obscured or have become so distorted that they no longer resemble the original.  This COVID-19 fog-like phenomenon even seems to have otherworld abilities to move familiar landmarks to different locations.  Sounds and noises have also either been absorbed or have become a cacophony.  To say we feel lost is an understatement.  So, what do we do?

On the Oregon and Washington coasts, there are lighthouses to serve as navigational aids and to warn boats of dangerous areas.  Most lighthouses also include signals such as foghorns that warn ships of hazards during periods of low visibility.

While we might not be ships or the captains of ships, we probably do need some navigational aids to guide and direct us to where we need to go and to warn us of dangerous areas to avoid!  Such navigational aids are needed not just during these difficult days, but really in all of life.  And for both, I have some great news; we have access to the best navigational aids ever.  But first, how about some descriptors of how God is our Lighthouse:

“But I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me by your wise advice, and then you will lead me to a position of honor.” (Ps 73:23-24)

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”  (2 Thess 3:5)

“For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  (Rev 7:17)

How does God, as our Lighthouse, guide and direct us?

One of our primary navigational aids is His word:  “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”  (Ps. 119:105)

Another is the quiet voice of His Spirit:  “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘“This is the way, walk in it,”’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”  (Isa 30:21)

Those navigational aids require that we look and listen.  We look to His word to light the path for our feet.  And in the mist of the cacophony of sounds surrounding us, we listen for that still quiet voice of the Holy Spirit as He speaks and tells us the way we should go.

The fog of COVID-19 may not actually be so impenetrable if we use the right navigational aids!