The word “lockdown” is now a household word. Most of us here in Luzon, have been experiencing it for a week already. Confinement is awful and brings a string of negative emotions. However, I observe some pleasant happenings in our neighborhood. Our house is near our subdivision park and I see a number of families now going to the park to play badminton or volleyball in the temporary net they have installed is Young and old are now making the rounds in the park’s jogging path. Small kids accompanied by their father or mother now come regularly to play in the few playground equipment that we have in the park. Many also play frisbee. This is quite unusual because oftentimes, the park is deserted. 

I noticed too that most of the front yards of the houses have their lawn mowed and their fence hedges trimmed. The streets are cleared of cars and pollution. There are no motorcycles and tricycles with their obnoxious fumes. The birds are not disturbed and seem happier. 

As a mother, I have more time to do some general cleaning with spare time for reading and studying. The other day, I just finished a painting using a canvass that I rescued from a file of junk. It makes me feel good to have given that canvass a new lease of life. Just yesterday, I enrolled on a free online course. But what I enjoy more is the presence of my son and my husband. We enjoy our every meal and our conversation is endless. 

Because of the lockdown, I can’t also visit my mother. But I was able to ask her to have Bible study over the phone every night and she agreed. What a blessing!

The world is gripped with fear and many are suffering. We grieve over the loss of many lives. Uncertainty looms ahead. We don’t even know when the “lockdown” directive will be lifted. When I wake up at night, I think of the many who don’t have much food. the frontliners, the infected and the families of those whose lives were snuffed off unexpectedly by this horrible virus. But it is comforting that we can bring our fears to God who hears our prayers even for the impossible. 

Though locked down, we can look up to God who controls all things with His infinite wisdom. Our God who is merciful and kind will answer our prayers of healing in His appointed time – not a day late or earlier. This calamity will not stretch us beyond our capacity to bear. 

Probably, He is directing our eyes to the things that matter in life – our family, and our relationship to Him.  And thanks be to God! Because of Christ in us, we may be Locked but not Down.