We had a restful weekend with the kids at the lake house and now back in the city gearing up for a busy week and month. Mellow days make for loveliness amid the hustle of an ordinary week. I started to say a mundane week—but is anything ever really mundane—even trivial tasks repeated? The older I grow, the more readily I see miracles and mercy locked within pedestrian life. At some point, the coursing extraordinary of God’s gracious gifts overtake the day to day blur. This should fill our hearts with gratitude larger than the enemy that we face.

Right now we are in need of having our eyes wide open to the presence of God in current events. This is a really hard period in history. Recently, I like you, have been hurting and grieving for the lives, far and near, overcome by COVID. This suffering has touched all. It’s just too many and too much. Along the way, I am also battling in prayer for many still fighting for every breath. The war has been evil and intense.

It is important to stop and mourn and take account of the mercies of God that envelope us despite the severity of the tribulations that have descended upon the world. Each day, I do stop to acknowledge the suffering plight in the world now and especially those dear to me in my circle of friends and family that have been irrevocably changed.

Sometimes it is the mundane of life that gets you through these tough stretches. Sometimes it is rote action that steadies your life. Sometimes it is just opening the door and awaiting the breaking of dawn and a fresh day full of miracles. Because I believe strength and supernatural joy are present and available as we all press on both grieving and maintaining life as we know it.

We are bound upward to glory. In this truth, we purify ourselves; and we groan with the whole earth for the revelation of the sons of light. Bring us across the raging river, oh God, to the other side.

We don’t know when dawn will break for the suffering of the pandemic, but open every door with hope.