Have you ever heard those two phrases before? I have used them often to describe the way I feel about this time with Covid-19/Corona Virus. How is that? Well, a fish out of water is a fish not in its intended environment. A fish is meant to be in water, live in water do all their fishy things in water. Take the fish out of water and now that fish is in trouble.
As a pastor, this year of living in a pandemic has caused me to feel like a fish out of water so to speak. One example: when I first came to James Island Baptist Church, I would make over 500 hospital visits each year. I had to keep record for tax purposes. I love making hospital visits so that was never an issue. Now imagine how many hospital visits I have made over 35 years. Way over 10,000 visits to hospital rooms. This past year, 2020 has been the exact opposite. Pastors, along with family members, were most often not allowed to visit with members in the hospital. I have not been in the hospital since January of 2020 except when I was the patient! It caused a little bit of an anxiety issue for me. How could I represent Christ to those I could not see, touch, pray with, cry with, and love? I felt kind of like a fish out of water. Of course, we tried to adapt, change strategies, improvise and do the best we can. I know God’s love and care, that of the Great Shepherd, never stopped, never was limited by Covid-19. I still felt like a fish out of water, as did many family members, friends, church leaders, etc. I suspect we all felt that way at times.Now the other saying…it was like giving a cat a bath! Have you ever tried that? It can be done, but the cat “ain’t” very happy about it! I feel like we are all cats being given a bath. All the Covid restrictions, rules, isolation, masks, social distancing…kind of like giving a cat a bath…I don’t like it.
As the old saying goes, these are the best of times they are the worst of times but they are the only times we have! So let’s keep on praising, thanking, praying, serving, reaching out, reaching up, reaching in for the glory of God. I just watched three of our Hispanic friends get baptized! Hallelujah….that is Spanish for Hallelujah! God is good all the time, He is still working and we are still in the business of joining Him. It may look different and be different.
By the way, we say good bye to three of our Senior Saints: Babe Galus, Juanita Garrett and Tommy Bingham. These are three precious souls who have officially transferred their membership from James Island Baptist Church to the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life. Prayers and love to their families and friends.
See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom
