The Rule of Radical Presence
Sermon Series: Radical Rules for Developing Spiritual Roots (Part 8 of 9)
Originally Aired: Sunday, January 17, 2021
Good Morning, Friends. I trust you are persevering in these difficult days. We are all aware of the destructive effects of Covid 19. This includes the terrible death and contagion rates of the disease itself, the economic impact on businesses and individuals, and the mental effects of such mandated isolation the effects of which, I have not seen in my lifetime. I recently visited an older believer, and her mental anguish was palpable. She said to me, “Eric, the worst part of Covid 19 is not my fear of catching the disease, or even death . . . the hardest part of the pandemic is the isolation associated with it. I am so… terribly… lonely!”
I have a feeling my senior friend is not the only one feeling such intense loneliness. I read an article by Robby Berman on the website medicalnewstoday.com (datedNov. 25th, 2020) that stated “In the survey of 1,008 people aged 18–35, 80% of participants reported “significant depressive symptoms” during the pandemic.” These statistics support my anecdotal observations that many people in 2021 are feeling the intense effects of loneliness from social distancing policies due to Covid 19. The problem is REAL.
This Sunday, I will be continuing my series on RADICAL RULES FOR DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL ROOTS where we will specifically be looking at “THE RULE OF RADICAL PRESENCE.” As far back as the Creation itself God said to Adam, “It isn’t good for man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18 Human beings were built for social engagement and community NOT social distancing and isolation, and God has provided us certain tools to deal with loneliness we all feel at times. Join is for worship on Sunday January 17th at 11 AM (PST) right here: https://youtu.be/ookWghycRSA .
Living in the Presence of Christ!
Pastor Eric
