Daze 4: The Island of Corona

In the midst of our Corona seclusion, we had our small group church meeting via Zoom. It was so good to SEE everyone's face and hear their hearts, even if we are still "confined" to our homes, and small walks in the sunshine and warmer weather (when we have some--not today). Our group of about 20 discussed what it meant to be prisoners and what we are prisoners to. We said our desire is to be prisoners of hope. We shared what that meant for each of us ... and what was the hardest part.

My prison boundaries include dealing with pain. The hard part is not so much the pain itself but feeling like an invalid. I dislike that word, strongly. I'm not bed bound or unable to move. I am in pain constantly, but that is not stopping me from all I can do. In fact I've been playing Catan with our grandsons every weekday morning (gets their brains moving before they have to do their school work!) It's a great strategy game, situated on the imaginary island of Catan. Also, I help Bill plan, prepare and cook meals and take care of household chores.. Then almost every night we share meals together with our small family that lives across the street. Isn't it amazing that God provided that house at just the right time for when they returned from China? I'm so grateful for each of them and how they help keep me from being an invalid and keep me "on my toes."

So, back to the islands of confinements. I’ve been thinking about how St. John was confined on the very real island of Patmos for the last years of his life. It was a rocky island, 4 by 8 miles and very rocky in the Agean Sea. St. Paul was confined in prison during the last years of his life in Rome.

So what their confinement all about and what happened during those times? For both Paul and John it was a time of hearing God and writing and sharing their hearts and revelations. They found that their borders and walls were not confinements, but the edges of Father’s ways. Indeed Psalm 16:6 says, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Their heritage? Look at what they wrote during those years!

So much has changed, so quickly. So much will never be the same again. But Jesus is the one constant--He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He's the only constant in the universe or in our world. So now I am relying on him as I pick up writing again ... something I've left off for many years. I'm confined to the Island of Corona, but I choose to see it as the Island of His Love.

The Island of His Love: Psalm 16:6: 
 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.

Borders are Your gift for me,

            They don’t restrain or confine.

They are meant to keep me close,

            In Your will good plan divine.

St. John was sent to Patmos,

            To see, and hear and write,

Of revelations of our future.

Something he saw in the light.

St. Paul was sent to prison, at

            The apex of his life.

There people saw his love for God,

In spite of all the strife.

So now I’m in Your prison, Lord,

            With limits only from above.

I rest content while waiting

            On the island of Your love.