Teaching in Corona virus times

In case you haven’t heard, Sweden has a very different approach to caring for the population here during these days of the pandemic of spring 2020.  That being said, there is still a lot of freedom to get around the country.   We were trying to decide if we should go up north and do the teaching that had been planned for several months with the Acts 29 students ~ a group of young followers of Jesus who are doing an intensive year of service and studying principles of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Higher education institutions were already closed and there would only be 3 of the 14 students at the school.  We were assured we’d have a place to sleep, could practice social distancing and would be safely fed.  

Leaving Malmö with sunshine on our shoulders, a map in the car, and a water bottle that proclaims the protection of our God!

The morning that we were to leave, we spent a quiet hour in two different corners of the house, just spending time with God and in His Holy Word, the Bible.  We were waiting for one final confirmation that we were to go….and we got it during that hour.

Folkhögskola in Karlskoga ~ it was a dreary rainy day when we began our journey home to Malmö when our teaching was done

Funny enough, I was about 2 weeks behind in my Bible readings through a YouVersion program that I’m doing with Nicky Gumble, (who does the Alpha teaching series).  It’s called the Bible in one year, and includes 6 daily readings from Psalms and an Old Testament text and one from the New Testament as well.  It concludes with Nicky’s devotion which includes reflections on the texts and prayers.  The final word is from his wife, Pippa.

Once we got all the technology working, we knew that we were exactly where we were supposed to be during these days March 17-19, 2020

Where are all the students?  In 4 locations across Sweden, in India, and the traveling team, located in Karlskoga

These were the thoughts that came in across cyberspace about our own understanding of grace and the story of the Lost (Prodigal) Son.  Great conversations!

And that morning, when we were sitting in opposite corners of the house listening to God speak, that’s when I realized that no matter what program you might be reading, or if you’re behind on where you’re supposed to be with your Bible in one year reading program…..the Word that was to encourage us and strengthen us that day was just the Word that God had chosen.  It didn’t matter that I was reading the texts from late February on  March 17^th.  The Word spoke to me.  And to us.  

Computers talking to each other.  This would have been so much more complicated if we had stayed home in Malmö and tried to do this via cyberspace from home.  It was already complicated enough to get us all connected from 6 different locations!

And so, we traveled north….decided not to take the train, as corona was already on its march around the world and in Sweden and we didn’t want to get stuck in the middle section of Sweden without a way to get home.  

Thankful that the Word of God still speaks to us today.

Thankful that God speaks through His word….when we take time out to read and listen.