Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 27

Scripture Reading: Acts 19:21-41 (NRSV)

At some point Christianity became the dominant religion in the Mediterranean but when it developed, it was a minority.  Within places like Ephesus which is located in modern Turkey, the various gods and goddesses of Greece had major temples erected to them. 

As Christianity began to declare monotheism, it cast into doubt the validity of other forms of worship.  This wouldn't have taken place overnight but rather became an idea that some adopted but the majority at first resisted.  And when the majority resists something, it can get ugly.

Theories can be debated fairly civilly but when you touch on people's livelihood, we may feel threatened.  These feelings are deeply ingrained and seem to go back to prehistoric interactions of providing and protecting one's family.  Violence against a perceived threat was an ever-ready response. 

What popular venues do we have closing today
that would be similar to the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus?

In this section, we see Demetrius seeing the bigger picture.  Monotheism may severely cut into his trade as a silversmith (he couldn't see that Christians would also later buy ornamental and decorative crosses).  He rallies other businessmen and a mob mentality ensues.  The majority resists this change quite openly!

Violence could easily break out but Paul thinks he can calm down the crowd.  His companions disagree and keep him away.  They likely had the better judgment as other officials of Ephesus also urge Paul not to attend!  Maybe they all know that Paul's often dogmatic approach would not be what is needed here!

Fortunately cooler heads prevail and the riot is avoided.

It is easy for us to understand how heated Demetrius must have been when his profits started waning.  With the spread of the COVID-19, we have seen businesses across the country shutting down.  While we hope that this is temporary, it is easy to conceive that many won't be able to re-open when the crisis is over.  Jobs are being disrupted and people are afraid today for their livelihood.  Some politicians such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas have expressed displeasure at the closures and their own fear of the economy crashing.  He would rather let people decide for themselves on whether or not to close their businesses. 

This reminds us that anxieties run high when we our ability to provide and protect our family is threatened.  We have two fears battling here - the fear of the virus and the fear of the loss of our jobs and way of life. 

How do you determine which direction God would have you favor?  There are not good outcomes either way, so it isn't easy.  As a pastor (and follower of the Great Physician), I fall in line with keeping people healthy.  I pray that we can keep cool heads during this crisis and seek to help our neighbors.  But at a distance!

Prayer for the day:

O Lord Jesus Christ, who went about doing good and healing all manner of sickness:
give strength, wisdom and gentleness to all your ministering servants, our physicians, surgeons and nurses; that always bearing your presence with them, they may not only heal but bless, and shine as lamps of hope in the darkest hours of distress and fear; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God world without end.  Amen.

Prayer by the Church Missionary Society

Photo by Russ Allison Loar via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.