Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true.
(Psalms 139:23-24 CEV)
The day has finally come. The city has asked us all to wear masks in public. That means that today, in church, I will wear a mask over my mouth and nose. I won’t like it, but I’ll do it because it’s right to obey the God-given authorities (They are still OK with us worshipping together, so this is not “oppression”), and it’s right to allay the fears of others that I may be a source of infection to them. My first thought is that maybe something to cover mouths in church might be a good idea. What comes out of them is the major source of problems for most of us, and certainly for the church and the pastor. Maybe we could hand out socks at the door.
It also occurs to me that people have been wearing masks to church for a long time. You just can’t see them with the naked eye. Having been a pastor for 30+ years, I know that most folks wear their church identity on Sunday and then forget about the whole thing the remainder of the week. They don’t tell you that, in fact they attempt to hide it: “How are you?” “I’m blessed!” Then comes the Tuesday phone call asking for help with the rent (or the kids the spouse, the addiction, etc.)
How about today we just keep the mask on our face and take the one off our heart? God sees it anyway, but He would like you to ask Him to help you live and love better. Here’s the deal: Cover your face, open your heart. It’ll be a great Sunday.
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