Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village,
Dimapur
From human perspective, it was a hard job for the Hebrews to cross the Red Sea. But they had to cross it because there is a hope for them; they must reach the Promised Land. The miracle of God carried them to the other side when they believed (Ex 14:13, 14). The wilderness journey became a period of spiritual discipline for them with all spiritual legislations for the rest of their journey till this day. The story continues beyond crossing the Red Sea. The Apostle Paul asserted this when he said that ‘he could do everything through Jesus Christ’ (Phil 4:13).
The lockdown days are like a discipline journey. It is not a boring or tiring period. A new positive story will begin from here in your life. Apart from Covid-19 precautionary consciousness, new personal, family and future perspectives will stand out. It is like your Red Sea to cross. But let us look beyond the giant Sea. The restricted lockdown will bear fruit of new value of life, if you can walk through with constraint under God.
Six-fold Lockdown Dose
1. Family development
It is a time of parent-children relationship building. It is a return to family value and joy. Various events can be serially celebrated together with the fledglings. It is also a time of family repairing, reconciliation, and consolidation with new vocabularies. It is a family education where father and mother can pass their life experience with advice and life value for the journey of the children. It may be a time of no return.
2. Physical discipline
Physical discipline has no boredom. It develops habit of quietness. Meditative discipline is a self-control manner which is a fundamental law in times of need. You can do this by kneeling, sitting, walking, jumping, breathing exercise, and of course, in active resting position. You can research and explore more healthy systems.
3. Visionary hibernation
Beyond hibernation is a new life. Hibernation is not a dead process. It is just a process of ceasing activity. COVID-19 brought us a ceasing from activities. But is a preparatory process toward better harvest, higher ventures with renovated mindset. Students will study harder, society will work harder, build faster, earn more to doubly compensate the amount of work invested in lockdown, and develop healthier habit with ‘Evergreen’ as slogan of humanity.
4. Mystery of the Word of God
A diligent person will develop a healthy habit of Bible reading to complete the entire Book before the lockdown is over, Genesis to Revelation. You can read other books to be self-taught to pass on to others. Thus, Covid-19 lockdown can become a ‘Home Bible School’ to lay a foundation of your relationship with the Bible.
5. Domestic innovation and renovation
Members of the family will become kitchen experts or specialists. Your floors will become cleaner and disinfected, living rooms are sanitized. Lockdown period will develop and improve competence of domestic system, responsibility and punctuality like cooking class. It is also a time to learn how important it is to save water, resources and economy to combat any vulnerable eventuality and uncertainty.
6. Eternal preparation
Corona lockdown can be a disguise for spiritual preparation as individuals and families to ensure eternal security through Bible studies, prayers, repentance, and settling relationship with God and with each other. In such a weird time of coronavirus, a family can prepare to meet God (Amos 4:12) and seek God and live (Amos 5:4). A family is ever a church with the living Book, Bible and living line, Prayer.
With the help of God, we will be able to resist and overcome greater and harder blows of humanity. In all this trying journey of Red Sea, God told us to Rejoice in the Lord (Phil 4:4) because the Joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10) and we are not consumed because His love is new every morning (Lam 3:23). His word reminds us “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut 31:6).
God bless you!
