I read an article in the New York Times this morning that talked about irrational Covid-19 fears.  Tom and I are fully vaccinated and have been for three weeks.  John and Jackie are getting their second shots today.  Mom and Dad and my siblings have all had shots #1 and #2.  You would think we would be all getting together for a party.  You would be wrong.  Instead we are all still pretty much hunkered down, working from home, wearing masks, and not eating in restaurants.

We have all been living with Covid-19 restrictions for over a year and it is hard to get back to normal life.  Tom, especially, has been reluctant to loosen our restrictions.  He points to all the people who haven’t been vaccinated.  To all the people who are refusing to be vaccinated.  To the new variations.  The outliers on the charts.

But we all have some of those irrational Covid fears.  For people who have been fully vaccinated, fewer than one in 11,000 are still catching Covid.  That’s a pretty good success rate.  Our chances of dying from Covid-19 after being fully vaccinated are much less than our chances of being killed in a car accident.

It is important to take the proper precautions, as we have for the last year.  We are blessed that everyone in our family came through the pandemic without catching Covid.  But we can’t live our lives in a constant state of fear.  At some point we have to venture out of our safe houses, our bubbles, and resume life as we knew it.  We might make some changes, as I mentioned last week, but we can’t stay bubble wrapped forever.  Anyone who has tried to protect their children from every dangerous thing knows that you can drive yourself crazy trying to live in complete safety.

I have plenty of irrational fears.  But God calls us each day to live a life free from fear.  We are supposed to embrace the gift of life fully and joyfully, sharing our joy with those around us.  We can remain closed off from others or we can get our vaccinations and get back to living once again.

Yesterday I attended worship inside a church for the first time since March 8, 2020.  Tom and I went inside three stores over the last week.  We are going to a museum tomorrow.  In May I will be assisting with a wedding and I accepted an invitation to preach in June.  I am trusting in the science behind the vaccines.  Even more than that, however, I am trusting God in this life and the next.  And my trust in God will help me put aside any irrational fears that remain so that I can live as God has called me.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  Isaiah 26:3