For two millennia we have waited for the Lord Jesus to return to earth as a conquering King.  And still we wait, knowing that, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  (2 Peter 3:9 New American Standard)   Today, within that long wait for Jesus, we wait also for something else: the passing of a pestilence, the end of a plague.  We wait for victory over a virus that is holding much of the world hostage, killing some, sickening millions and causing billions to recoil in fear.  In uncertain times, that wait can be exhausting.   It’s not quite so difficult to wait for something that has a determined end date.  We know when our birthday is coming or Christmas or the first day of school and we count down the days.  But not knowing how long the coronavirus pandemic will last, it is hard to plan ahead, to know we are prepared, to wait with confidence and faith.  Jesus knew of that tendency among humans, and he also knew that those who were faithful would persevere, even through the uncertainty of dealing with an unseen enemy for an undetermined amount of time.  So he compared us to young women awaiting a bridegroom whose return was overdue (Matthew 25:1-13).  All fell asleep during the wait, but only some, the wise and prudent, had prepared their lamps to stay lit in order to enter into the wedding feast.  The others were left outside, unprepared for the celebration at the end.   So let us all be encouraged today to keep our spiritual lamps lit and filled, to await whatever comes next with the faith that the bridegroom is indeed coming back for us.  Certainly, these times are unsettling.  “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”   (Isaiah 40:31 King James Version)

InFaith: Northwest Oregon Pastors Zoom together and Pray together!

It wasn’t quite the same as our usual monthly breakfast, but the five of us who gathered last Wednesday via the internet had a great discussion of how to use simple technology to stay in touch with our congregations and communities while regular church services are on hiatus.  We also were able to spend some time in prayer for one another and enjoy seeing friendly faces we hadn’t seen in a while.  Thanks pastor Glenn Austin for handling the technical side.  Our next Zoom conference will be Wednesday, May 20th, Lord willing – unless the restrictions on public meetings are lifted by then, in which case we will meet for breakfast at the Tollgate Inn in Sandy at 9 a.m.

The monthly pastors prayer meeting at Woodland Park Chapel last Thursday also was a blessed time.  Thanks to pastor Brad Gentry and pastor Steven Boyle for leading that important time of intercession.  We still meet face-to-face as our group is small enough and the room is big enough to maintain “social distance.”  Please feel free to join in with us if you can.    

May the Lord bless you and keep you safe as you await His return.

Tom Hiscox, Northwest Oregon Area Missionary
thiscox@infaith.org