March 19 – Dijon, France

Yesterday, as I prayed through the morning (in the Book of Prayers I have been using for the past few years), this verse jumped out at me.

Today if you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts (as in the rebellion). – Hebrews 3:15, Psalm 95:7

The Lord gave me the prayer I was seeking—a specific prayer to support the people in this city with whom we have shared in some measure—and for whom we have prayed over the years. Many are not ignorant of the God of the Bible, nor overtly hostile to me when I speak of my trust in Him. But they haven’t connected the dots of the fundamentally Judeo-Christian values we may share with solid faith in the living God of the Bible.

We are now confined to our places of residence except for certain types of work, food shopping, and necessary medical care. We are not even allowed to invite people into our homes. As a person in the high-risk category (over 60 with several chronic illnesses), I am not part of the team in the Dijon church who is trying to respond appropriately to the physical needs (shopping, etc.) of those who are not able to do for themselves.

But God is not confined to our typical efforts and means to carry the Good News. On my recent (but now suspended) health care visits I was able to remind my physical therapist and our family doctor that I am praying for them more than ever in these difficult times. I have a longstanding relationship with both of them as they practice compassionate and competent health care. But they do not seem to attend to their spiritual lives with the same rigor.

I pray they will.