{"id":4698,"date":"2020-06-17T19:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-06-17T23:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/?p=4698"},"modified":"2020-06-17T19:00:01","modified_gmt":"2020-06-17T23:00:01","slug":"how-can-we-stick-together-when-the-world-feels-divided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2020\/06\/how-can-we-stick-together-when-the-world-feels-divided.html","title":{"rendered":"How Can We Stick Together When the World Feels Divided?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This summer is different than any we\u2019ve ever experienced. We\u2019re separated by physical barriers like masks, screens, glass shields, and at least six feet of space. We\u2019re under some form of quarantine or curfew or both. But these physical barriers don\u2019t change the way that we, as God\u2019s children are one body, united in Christ<\/p>\n

Yes, health restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, mean my kids\u2019 teachers waved goodbye at the end of the school year via Zoom and the pizza delivery person sets our pizza on our doorstep, rings the bell, and walks away, before I can even thank them. But our hands aren\u2019t tied. We still have free will. We\u2019re still God\u2019s people. And His greatest commandment is still to love\u2014to love Him, the Lord, our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love one another (Luke 10:27).<\/p>\n

Love one another. We might have to get creative and inventive, but we can still do this. It\u2019s actually pretty fun.<\/p>\n

We can still send a note to teachers thanking them for all they did to make online or unconventional year end learning a success for our kids. Don\u2019t worry. If we haven\u2019t yet, it\u2019s not too late. We can leave a more generous tip on the credit card for our delivery guys and gals. If our funds are low, we can make a thank you sign and stick it to our front door for them. Yes, our church family is worshipping apart in individual homes, but we\u2019re still all watching the same Livestream on Sunday mornings. We still have the power to text and call each other about the sermon, sing the worship songs out loud in our family rooms and meet online or in small groups in parking lots or patios to pray for one another and share how God is on the move in our lives.<\/p>\n

Yes, we\u2019ve lost so much. In our house we\u2019ve lost a graduation, a play, three spring sports seasons, a trip to Israel to name a few. Many friends have lost so much more\u2014jobs, income, loved ones. But our God is still God and He\u2019s still in control. He still loves us. All of us. He hasn\u2019t forgotten a single one. A reminder of this is the hymn, \u201cHe\u2019s Got the Whole World in His Hands.\u201d Did you ever sing it when you were younger? Google the lyrics and you\u2019ll find several different versions, but most include, \u201che\u2019s got you and me brother, in his hands,\u201d and \u201che\u2019s got everybody here, in his hands.\u201d Me and you and everybody. That means even in these turbulent times none of us are left out of God\u2019s love and protection. He has the whole world in his hands.<\/p>\n

A fun part about this song is you can insert anyone into the lyrics and it still applies. You try. Here are a few ideas to get you started:<\/p>\n