Riverdance (God Moments)

My mind has played back to July 2016 a number of times these past couple of weeks.  Jamie and I were blessed to travel to Ireland.  We flew into Dublin and stayed there for a couple of days before taking the train to the wild, Irish western coast and a week of trekking.  While in Dublin we stayed in a very small, three star hotel in a quiet, off-the-beaten-path district of the city.  The lobby spoke to an earlier era and upon check-in we learned that the hotel presented a dinner/show once a week.  As fate would have it, a presentation was scheduled for the next night.  The venue was in the basement of the hotel and the program featured Riverdance.

Jamie was thrilled when we were able to get tickets.  Me?  Not so much.  Riverdance simply scares me.  When those dancers get their legs going really, really fast, I envision a foot or two flying off and landing in my soup.  Freaky.  Nonetheless, after the next day's sightseeing, off we went.  We were seated along with about two hundred (a generous estimate) other patrons at tables of six which surrounded a small stage.  Now, I really don't remember much of the show.  I probably had my eyes closed.  But somewhere along the way, the Master of Ceremonies began listing off the continents.  Africa....North America....Australia....South America....Asia ....Europe....and with each land mass, he asked for a show of hands from the residents of said continent.  Well, there was no one from Antarctica, but at least one hand was raised by a citizen from each of the other six.

Think about that for a second.  Two hundred random people coming together and sitting down for an evening of Riverdance within a very modest, somewhat obscure setting.  And six continents are represented.

Sometimes I'm thankful that God has blessed me with a blissful ignorance.  Because I never realized until this week that the very means that afforded me and my two hundred dinner companions the opportunity to be entertained by Riverdance has now provided something called a Coronavirus the capacity to proliferate to every corner of the globe. 

Math, even simple math, challenges me.  For the more gifted, the cause and effect has probably been obvious for quite some time.  But in this unprecedented hour, the law of unintended consequences is quite profound as we learn to practice "social distancing" in an effort to "flatten the curve".  There is a heavy sense of loss.  Loss of control.  Loss of understanding.  Loss of livelihood.  Loss of relationship.  For some, loss of life itself.

None of that is to be made light of.  All of it gives one pause and that deliberation may in turn trigger a tinge of fear.  But maybe that's just me.  As you may have surmised, I frighten easily.  Regardless, our greatest Hope is rooted in the most troubled times.  So know this - God is good.  Absolutely good.  And I'm pretty sure that He's really good at math.

Luke 12:6-7 - "Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?

And not one of them is forgotten before God.

But the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

Do not fear therefore;

you are of more value than many sparrows."

Isaiah 55:9 - "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways, 

And My thoughts than your thoughts."

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world
that he gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life."