COVID-19 times > they say don't hug, but do we embrace this?

[com7fy8]

Years ago, I understood how if a human could die, at any time, so could a whole country. But how could the United States, for one example, just have a heart attack or stroke and essentially die? Even, how could the whole world just come to a stop??

Now I think I see one way this could happen.

But I understood, before we got into this COVID thing, that I should always be ready to love, and this would keep me alive. And do not first be trying to change however things might be going downhill, but embrace this time as my opportunity to keep on loving, discovering however God would make the way.

This shutdown time has cut me off from however I have tried to selfishly use my church. I have been put on "time out" to get right with God, and learn better how to love. So, by seeking God to deeply and really correct me, possibly this has been a way of embracing the situation, though I might not be hugging so many people.

And it has helped me to embrace the situation as being a time to grow more in Jesus and how to love . . . versus just fighting it and suffering about it. Use the situation for His good.

But do have compassion for ones who are suffering because they were not ready to make good use of this time. Do not self-righteously criticize others. Yes, I can see how a number of people have been neglecting themselves so now they would suffer much more than they should . . . medically, socially, and by not preparing spiritually and emotionally for hard times. But I understand God wants us to have compassion, even for ones who are helping to make things worse for themselves.

So, I have embraced this time for seeking God for real correction so I am genuinely caring and sharing however can be good. I think Jesus means we need to do this.

God's word says >

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

I have for some time understood this means, included, to test hard times for how we can use trouble for the good of loving and caring and sharing and helping. And I can use this time to help to expose how I am not ready to love and have not become God's way.

I have learned that I need to watch where my attention is going, too . . . by the way

 

[Arc F1]

Years ago, I understood how if a human could die, at any time, so could a whole country. But how could the United States, for one example, just have a heart attack or stroke and essentially die? Even, how could the whole world just come to a stop??

Now I think I see one way this could happen.

But I understood, before we got into this COVID thing, that I should always be ready to love, and this would keep me alive. And do not first be trying to change however things might be going downhill, but embrace this time as my opportunity to keep on loving, discovering however God would make the way.

This shutdown time has cut me off from however I have tried to selfishly use my church. I have been put on "time out" to get right with God, and learn better how to love. So, by seeking God to deeply and really correct me, possibly this has been a way of embracing the situation, though I might not be hugging so many people.

And it has helped me to embrace the situation as being a time to grow more in Jesus and how to love . . . versus just fighting it and suffering about it. Use the situation for His good.

But do have compassion for ones who are suffering because they were not ready to make good use of this time. Do not self-righteously criticize others. Yes, I can see how a number of people have been neglecting themselves so now they would suffer much more than they should . . . medically, socially, and by not preparing spiritually and emotionally for hard times. But I understand God wants us to have compassion, even for ones who are helping to make things worse for themselves.

So, I have embraced this time for seeking God for real correction so I am genuinely caring and sharing however can be good. I think Jesus means we need to do this.

God's word says >

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

I have for some time understood this means, included, to test hard times for how we can use trouble for the good of loving and caring and sharing and helping. And I can use this time to help to expose how I am not ready to love and have not become God's way.

I have learned that I need to watch where my attention is going, too . . . by the way

Any given moment could be our last. Don't let a virus stop you from living every moment to the fullest.

 

[muichimotsu]

Any given moment could be our last. Don't let a virus stop you from living every moment to the fullest.

Except I'm almost certain that the Bible doesn't just tell you to be foolhardy with demonstrable danger. A virus can be handled with moderation and not deficiency or excess and people still try to live their lives within particular restrictions meant to protect the populace as a whole, it isn't antithetical to liberty to temporarily restrict it for the safety and security of society at large

 

[Robban]

Except I'm almost certain that the Bible doesn't just tell you to be foolhardy with demonstrable danger. A virus can be handled with moderation and not deficiency or excess and people still try to live their lives within particular restrictions meant to protect the populace as a whole, it isn't antithetical to liberty to temporarily restrict it for the safety and security of society at large

"And he fulfilled his days".

To live not for the moment but in the moment.

Fill one's life with meaning,


Nothing just happens, living out one's days to full does not have to mean being careless.

It means to take every opportunity to better one's self and the world surrounding one.

If possible leave it a little better than one found it on entering it.

The poster you are responding to made no reference to either Bible or virus.

What ever are you thinking.

 

[Robban]

"And he fulfilled his days".

To live not for the moment but in the moment.

Fill one's life with meaning,


Nothing just happens, living out one's days to full does not have to mean being careless.

It means to take every opportunity to better one's self and the world surrounding one.

If possible leave it a little better than one found it on entering it.

The poster you are responding to made no reference to either Bible or virus.

What ever are you thinking.

RE post #4,
It came to me after I posted, so I correct myself,
he did mention "virus" but I do not even suspect he meant go about your every day as if there was no danger to oneself or others.

 

[Arc F1]

Except I'm almost certain that the Bible doesn't just tell you to be foolhardy with demonstrable danger. A virus can be handled with moderation and not deficiency or excess and people still try to live their lives within particular restrictions meant to protect the populace as a whole, it isn't antithetical to liberty to temporarily restrict it for the safety and security of society at large

If we care about society we should be promoting the church.

 

[com7fy8]

Don't let a virus stop you from living every moment to the fullest.

With Jesus, we always can have God's best . . . especially how we can be sharing with other people. During this time, I play it safe, but I have possibly better quality relating now, than when it was easy to get social contact. The ways God makes are special and fun surprises.

Except I'm almost certain that the Bible doesn't just tell you to be foolhardy with demonstrable danger.

And the Bible says to be subject to the authorities > Romans 13. And we have how Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Bethlehem, in order to cooperate with the census. That was restrictive to how they had been living, but they got blessed, and they blessed the shepherds, among other things.

My opinion is Arc has not said we should live fully while ignoring precautions. I do not assume he meant it that way.

And even if Arc does not mean to so don't concern yourself with restrictive precautions, still I think we need to be cautioned and reminded not to live to the fullest in a careless way.

So, what you both say is a winner, for me Thank you

it isn't antithetical to liberty to temporarily restrict it for the safety and security of society at large

You can't restrict God and His creativity

I have much more friendly interaction in the store now, because I am letting people go before me and they say thank you. Otherwise, we all would be following our noses which were aiming at the front of our carts

he did mention "virus" but I do not even suspect he meant go about your every day as if there was no danger to oneself or others.

In any case, we should evaluate what it should mean. And I think everyone has brought out good things to consider.

We should live to the fullest, and full living does not automatically mean we are anti-caution people. But, even though I have played it safe . . . I would say . . . I do not hurry to criticize anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers. I suspect we have ones who overdo suspicion and criticizing, but others can be about faith and they might have conditions and situations which can mean they are wise to do what they do.

There are simply aggressive people uncaring who throw off restraint, but others may have carefully evaluated who to trust and how much to depend on humans versus God. I find each person can turn out to be unique, not to fit in some cookie-cut spot.

If we care about society we should be promoting the church.

yes

And, of course, we could get into a lively thing, about if the real church can be at all restricted by keeping people out of buildings. I suspect . . . in the American culture which I have been involved with . . . "church" has become rather car dependent and money dependent and building dependent. And it seems that seniors can have a way of disappearing when they become more disabled > they got plenty of Sunday and Bible study attention while they got themselves and their money to church, but how much attention do they get once they are more shut in???? If the singing and preaching and fellowship were so essential while they were younger Christians, I would think the church would bring all that to them where they are shut in, but this does not seem to happen.

In my case, my companion became semi-disabled, and right away that cut her off from a lot of her worship and Bible study activity. But I attended to her; plus I embraced being away from building church, in order to attend to her and to play it safe so I do not spread something from church to her. And it seemed that I got a deepening experience with God, which perhaps I would not have gotten while having more social contact at church. Perhaps, by voluntarily embracing a sort of oblivion with her, I was discovering how shut-ins who seem to go into oblivion can in fact get more with God.

But, yes, I have been contacted and I see people of my church. And I generously welcome times to see them, if not for more than a quick hi or calling back to someone who honks from a passing car . . . quality, not necessarily quantity

 

[muichimotsu]

And the Bible says to be subject to the authorities > Romans 13. And we have how Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Bethlehem, in order to cooperate with the census. That was restrictive to how they had been living, but they got blessed, and they blessed the shepherds, among other things.

My opinion is Arc has not said we should live fully while ignoring precautions. I do not assume he meant it that way.

And even if Arc does not mean to so don't concern yourself with restrictive precautions, still I think we need to be cautioned and reminded not to live to the fullest in a careless way.

So, what you both say is a winner, for me Thank you

You can't restrict God and His creativity

I have much more friendly interaction in the store now, because I am letting people go before me and they say thank you. Otherwise, we all would be following our noses which were aiming at the front of our carts

They were going to be blessed by essentially destiny anyway, them going to the census was a minor inconvenience, though one could point out the whole Herod trying to kill baby Jesus thing might've been a bit more iffy by comparison (and we're not even sure about accurate history from Luke, given Qurinius wasn't emperor until 4 years or so after Herod died, yet they reference Herod AFTER the census)

One being unconcerned by limits is generally not a sign of rational thinking, because it suggests that only the limits you acknowledge are valid, a thoroughly selfish attitude, to be sure.

No one is restricting God in making basic temporary suspensions of the liberties we were used to in order to preserve the life we need to fully utilize that liberty in the first place.

The problem is, as I already noted here, how selfish some people are being in regards to what is a global problem and one that has scientific basis for it, that selfishness compounded by willful ignorance on the part of those who claim they know more than people who have studied for years on the subjects in question (Dunning Kruger syndrome). So not only do they think they're superior in intellect, but act like anyone who conforms deserves to be shamed merely because they believe rebellion is always preferable to obedience, which is a needlessly polarizing attitude