What was common to the Passover, the ghettos of Europe, Jacob's return to Bethel, the rise of Paul, David or Moses?
They thrived in adversity by closing ranks with their own.
Jacob left a hostile, foreign family to return to his touchstone, the house of God and the great shoulder for his burdens.
David was forged into a king as he sought refuge with others in trouble. Moses turned to his family, his sheep and his God.
And those who were saved in the Passover huddled in families, as did Jewish communities in the ghettos. God corrals his own to safety. It almost always involves having to come out from the cold into shared warmth.
But many have been isolated by past hurts or drifted from church or togetherness in favor of their own ways.

That won’t help in dark times. Paul implies that in 1 Cor 11:17-32, with his “for this reason, many are sick and some sleep (are dead)”.
He referred to the Breaking of Bread, the most neglected and under-rated touchstone of our faith. It is an instrument of self-examination or self-judgment that escapes the judgments of the world. It also obliges us to review our place in his church, to heal relationships, forgive those who hurt us and be reconciled.
Ironically, we withdraw because of hurts, so need to be counter-intuitive in overcoming that, to be restored.

It will get harder for those on the outside, until they return, but many won’t because of pride or for a less obvious solution. But together we can achieve so much more.
I am not calling this season a judgment, just saying that community is the best path to immunity and wellness, if it is mutually supportive, prays specifically for each other not some vague, distant cause, and is a touchstone of truth.
In practical terms that makes God our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear. Psalm 46:1.

(c) Peter Missing @ me2u2all.blogspot.com