A New Normal
Aren’t you tired of hearing that phrase. It is meant to help us make this transition from life without a pandemic into a life dealing with a pandemic. I think many times, “Many of these are things we should have been practicing all along.” When we are sick or have been exposed to sickness we should social distance, use hand sanitizer, cover our mouths when we cough, and wear masks. These are good proven practices that puts others before yourself.
The scripture taught these things thousands of years ago. When a person, a home or a thing was unclean (infection, disease, mold…) it was to be put into isolation (See Leviticus 13, 14, and 15). These laws were not about being spiritually unclean but physically unclean. The best method to protect the people was with isolation until the person or home was deemed clean by the best practices they had available. So from a biblical perspective, we should not be so resistant to the new norm but embrace it until this has passed. Don’t be afraid, but do put others before yourself.
Don’t be alarmed, I am not promoting a public health agenda or encouraging anyone to take the vaccine. Simply setting the stage for the real message.
Most people are practicing the necessary precautions required by this pandemic. We may not be embracing the new normal but we are adapting to the new normal. On the more serious note, an eternal note, we are not doing so well in the adjustments for the spiritual new normal. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Cor 5:17).
The true believer should...will live by a new normal, a new standard. Let’s look at what the Apostle John says about this, “If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” 1 John 1:6; “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, ant the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:4-6.
If you don’t like what John said, let’s look at what Jesus said. “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” John 15:9-10. The new normal is the result of the new creation. When God’s overwhelming, Holy Spirit power enters your life YOU WILL CHANGE!!! Embrace the new normal, strive for the new normal, stand out as a result of the new normal.
In Christ,
Randall Hamer