186. Returning to Normalcy
Now that the school is opened to attend in person, we are downgrading the church response to LEVEL 1. It is “Caution” phase, where all church meetings are back to normal (new normal) with safety measures in place. It means that Youths are now permitted to attend onsite service, and house churches are also permitted to gather. As house church involves eating together close, shepherds will decide for their house church when and how they will start gathering in-person.
I know some people still might feel uncomfortable about church opening up to more people. But I believe the effort of returning to normalcy is the sign of “resilience.” The book called “You are it” describes how Israel systematically responds to repeated terrorist attacks. Israeli officials know that the terrorists intend to instill panic and anxiety. So, instead of allowing fear to linger in their people, they do their best to restore routine after the attack.
They set up procedures to evacuate survivors as fast as possible (called “scoop and run”) and provide long-term psychosocial assistance. After quick investigatory work, they bring in glass fitters, carpenters and welders to restore the damaged area to its original condition. In the spirit of “life goes on,” the damaged site quickly returns to its prior level of foot traffic and activity. Experts say that this “rapid return to normal restores a sense of calm in the area and assists in long-term recovery” 1 of both individuals and society. As clear evidence, due to this rigorous effort for recovery, the stock market that used to crash after each attack now dips significantly less, and the market jumps back much quicker. It demonstrates the resilience and courage of the people of Israel despite the chance of unpredictable future attacks.
We don’t know how this pandemic will turn out. There is a legitimate concern for second-wave. But our job is not to predict the future. Our job is to do what we can do best with a given situation at the moment, trusting that God will give wisdom when we ask. If the second wave comes, we will quickly follow the government’s safety direction and respond accordingly. Whatever happens, we will stay resilient.
