This year we received Easter cookies made by my mother-in-law and her sister-in-law. I must credit both of them, because these cookies are quite the endeavor! And, they are highly coveted within our family circle and beyond. Sadly, we don’t always get them; we live five hours from their birthplace. Plus they are too fragile to mail. However, if we were to drive to the brother-in-law’s for Easter, which we were, we would get some! Then COVID-19 started popping-up with it’s ugly mug: all fun, family gatherings, travel, and about everything else was put to a halt.
But you know that already.
No travel for Easter? No cookies. So then how did we get the cookies?
My cookie making mother-in-law was in a southern state visiting family and the cookie stash was safely in her deep freeze, in a northern state. My home is somewhere in-between the two. All seemed well, in the beginning of the COVID-19 blitz: our family still had delusions of a big Easter get-together, with a festively set table, and lots of amazing food. Since we would be traveling three hours north, where my mother-in-law would also be, we would score some cookies.
Day by day, COVID-19 guidelines mutated. Our family wisely pulled the plug on the big family get-together, however we were facing a bigger challenge. My mother-in-law was scheduled to fly through Chicago, and Chicago was a COVID-19 hotbed. We agreed that in no way, would flying be a good idea. So one brother-in-law set out heading north from the southern state as my sister-in-law headed south from her northern state home. The goal, meet at our home to transfer the precious cargo: my mother-in-law!
My husband previously had a cough and I had fever. Neither were COVID-19 related, but at that point, we couldn’t be sure. We were taken out of the driving rotation. The drop would be in our driveway, with each family keeping a safe distance: not even a restroom break in our home, let alone a hug. We were not taking chances!
When my sister-in-law got here, she handed us a container of Easter cookies! Then she handed the cookies to my brother-in-law to take back to our families down south. Plus she had stopped in Madison and handed off cookies for three different family members there! It was an Easter cookie road trip! My mother-in-law said that we could thank COVID-19 for getting the cookies.
That was when I thought of Jesus. It is often in the hardest of times that good things happen, like how His crucifixion spread the Gospel.
Because of the trials presented by COVID-19, my family took a road trip. We were willing to go to great lengths to deliver the precious cargo, my mother-in-law, unharmed. The cookies were a sweet bonus.
About 2000 years ago, the family of Jesus took a road trip too. They had precious cargo that they were compelled to safely deliver—Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! God wanted the whole world to know about the Good News and without internet, that required road trips!
Back then, the Roman Empire was the center of the universe. Romans were unequaled and they wanted to keep it that way. Their highly sophisticated road systems allowed them to move around and quickly squash any squabbles. But, they had a little problem developing. After Jesus died, His followers were multiplying like dandelions: even at the threat of death, they would not be dissuaded. These Christians would not follow another god, only Jesus. Even though the Roman Empire persecuted Christians, it had a tremendous, positive impact of the The Good News going forth: Followers traveled easily because of the vast network of great roads.
Like the Roman persecution or COVID-19’s threat, there will be good that comes out of bad. God used human pride to promote His Humble Servant. The Roman roads made it easier for the Good News to go out in all directions. God used Rome’s world power, ingenuity, and infrastructure, to further the Gospel.
There is another Romans Road, that is a pathway of scripture verses taken out of the book of Romans. The Romans Road explains about a relationship with Jesus. You can read more information about salvation through Jesus and the Romans Road.
Like the Roman persecution or COVID-19’s threat, there will be good that comes out of bad. May you see the good. God bless you.
Uncovered 