Nowadays, the news of a lockdown in a certain area in our country is commonplace. The government has its own reasons on doing that based on the recommendations of the assigned task force. As responsible citizens, we have to comply with it.
Here are some things that you could do if your area is in lockdown mode:
First, open the Bible and start reading it. How many times have you promised to read the Bible? Maybe many times. But you have not found the time to do it. This is now the time to do it.
Ideally, you do not wait for a lockdown to read the Bible. It should be read every day. But since, you have the time now, get the Bible out of the shelves or install an app in your phone and start reading it.
If we acknowledge that the Bible is the Word of God, then there is no reason not to read it.
Second, make a reflection journal. You probably promised yourself to write something but you were not able to find the time. Now is the time to start writing.
A good friend and mentor once told me that if you write one page a day, you will simply have 365 pages in one year. It is a great practical advice that we could learn from.
You can start writing our reflections on what we have read in the Bible. You can also write about your family history so that the next generation can remember your family heritage. You can write about your struggles and on how you are coping with it. Someday, your writings could be of help to somebody.
Third, make a prayer list and start praying. Due to our busyness, we sometimes pray during meal time only. We have not found that time to really talk to God, and pour out the content of our heart. Now is the time to do it.
You may write down your prayer items. Pray for each one there, and wait for God to answer your prayers. In one way or another, God will reveal the answer to you. Be conscious of it because God will surely answer it in His time, and in His own way.
As Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, let us “Pray without ceasing.”
So read the Bible, write down your reflections, and pray.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Director, Office of Communications
Central Philippine University