Romans 8:6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (NIV)
Sometimes the Apostle Paul writes something that speaks to our hearts in the middle of our circumstances. Take today’s verse for instance. We’re all consuming far too many news items about the coronavirus and because of that, we fear the worst and don’t know what to do. We shelter in place and try to stay home, but we are not cave-creatures anymore. We like going out, we like being in other places, we like seeing other people. This virus has affected us deeply and it threatens to overwhelm our wellness – physically, mentally and emotionally.
Paul lived in a time when plagues were common and he was writing to a church that suffered from disease for most of the summer months. The Pontine marshes around Rome were breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes which devastated the Roman population annually. And yet, in the midst of those circumstances, Paul writes to them reminding the church that they were not just made of mortal flesh and blood, they were also created with eternal spirits, too. He urged them, not just to focus on their frail bodies but to grow their spirits in order to be granted life and peace by the Holy Spirit.
During these unprecedented days, take time to nurture your spirits. That’s why I am writing these short devotionals each day – to keep you connected to God and to grow your faith.
Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts and minds to Your Peaceful Spirit. Grant us calmness in the face of all that confronts us. Reconnect us to Christ and restore our spirits to Your abiding love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.