by Kevin Lee, Kota Kemuning church of Christ
COVID-19 has devastated many businesses and communities around the world. Unfavorable measures were put in place by the authorities to halt or to a certain extent delay its effect on the people and the country.
As Christians, we were not spared by it either. Soon, a mandatory lockdown was imposed on the entire nation. The initial phase was rather relaxed as we were still allowed to travel, albeit to limited places, but things got stricter over time as more people flaunted the rules. Within days, we found ourselves being confined to the four walls of our home.
Despite the circumstances, one key thing I learnt from this period of lockdown is that nothing can stop us from assembling together, if we are truly genuine in wanting to worship and serve God.
Although we were separated and prevented by law from assembling, many capable brethren rose to the occasion to provide support and resources to allow us to meet virtually for worship and bible class. The elders were swift in their response when the authorities announced that a lockdown is imminent, and this ensured that worship was not disrupted.
Indeed, God will be with us when we are sincere in wanting to serve Him.
The additional time accorded to me during the lockdown period also allowed me to reconsider and reflect on my bible class preparation and delivery. I made searches online and explored the various resources made available by the brotherhood, including recorded lessons from experienced preachers in the States. Some of these resources were also shared by the brethren from Kota Kemuning. The challenges from having to present virtually spurred me to think thoroughly about how I could deliver my lesson in a more interesting and meaningful manner to the audience.
My wife also played an important role in this, by allowing me to rehearse my lesson to her! For each lesson that I prepared, I rehearsed at least three times prior to the actual delivery, ensuring that my content and delivery were both adequate. Likewise, the brethren were very encouraging and gave me constructive feedback. These were very helpful in my preparation for future lessons.
The thought of having a reduction in pay, or promise of promotion being rescinded was daunting for me throughout the lockdown period but I did not allow it to distract me, and kept my best efforts in serving my client. Thankfully, my client was pleased with the work done and even requested for additional services. Other work challenges during this lockdown period came in the form of having to take on additional roles and spending more time to complete tasks on hand.
However, these challenges were opportunities for me as it allowed me to learn new things and expand my experience
Soon after, the email that I dreaded the most arrived as the leaders of my firm made an important announcement regarding the future direction of the firm. Necessary changes were introduced to ensure that the firm would continue to operate as normal, and all the staff were expected to adapt to it. I am thankful to God that the changes were not drastic, and I can continue to receive the same pay as before.
Lastly, this period of lockdown allowed my wife and I to spend more time together, and as a newlywed, we got to know each other better. We learnt to cook many dishes together, dialing in to virtual bible classes and worship services, going down to the supermarket to get groceries, listening to podcasts, watching a show or TV series on the internet and checking in with some of the brethren from Kota Kemuning.
On occasion, we were able to catch the sunset together from our balcony and admire God’s wonderful creation.
These moments are precious to me as I am usually preoccupied with work prior to the lockdown, and itis something that I will remember in the years to come.