Form and Function

Today’s Devotional - March 27, 2020

This is a series of messages from the time of isolation during the COVID19 Response in Oregon, United States. 

{Form} and {Function}.

The shape, or form, of your day has been changed as efforts are made to slow the spread of the COVID19 virus. Quite a few folks are working from home at this point. For others who are still traveling to work, protocols, priorities, and tasks have been altered as a result of this effort. You are - to greater or lesser effect - still fulfilling your function, but the experience (form) looks and feels different. For some, even function has been changed quite a lot. Some people aren’t going to work. They have jobs that can only be done effectively while interacting with other people. The lack of function can be really tough when it impacts a paycheck that pays rent and buys food. 

Another example of form versus function can be found by looking at how animals fly. The buzzards have returned (LaVerne notices this every year, so now I watch for them!) and you can see them soaring. Hummingbirds also have wings, but they don’t soar very well. Bugs fly with four wings. Did you know that bacteria can fly too? They don’t have any of the parts that a bird or even a bug has, but they fly anyway. A bacterium will change the static charge on the outside of their membrane and levitate right off a surface to ride the breeze. 

Here’s the point: most of us don’t separate form from function. Eating means sitting and having a meal. Work means driving to a place and being paid for our labor. Flying means wings. In this season, we can’t go too long without the effective functions of our lives, but sometimes circumstances require that the form changes so we can continue to have our personal and collective needs met (function). 

My need for Jesus is every bit as great as yesterday and today as it will be tomorrow. We can let the today’s changes interrupt some of our functions…. but for the critical functions, we must find forms that will work right now. 

Forms can be familiar or new, but the function is what matters.

{Function of} Fellowship: Reach out to two people today - One person that you know will encourage you and someone else that, perhaps, you can encourage. Remind them of Romans 8:28 - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

{Function of} Worship: “Through Him [Holy Spirit] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name.” - Hebrews 13:15. Speak, sing, pray aloud. God has been faithful and will be faithful to you. 

A song for today: How Great Thou Art  as sung by Home Free

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder 

Consider all the works Thy Hands have made 

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder

Thy power throughout the universe displayed 

Then sings my soul

My Saviour God, to Thee How great Thou art

How great Thou art

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander 

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur 

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

And when I think, that God, 

His Son not sparing Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing 

He bled and died to take away my sin

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation 

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart 

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration

And then proclaim: My God, how great Thou art