God is bigger than the pandemic

 “My dad’s stronger than your dad.”

How many times did we hear that as kids?

When we consider our Heavenly Father, it’s true. Our Father is the strongest. No question.

That sounds like a platitude, especially when the whole world is focused on a dreaded disease called Coronavirus or COVID-19.

We’ve all read the news stories, seen the online posts, and received the urgent emails. Countries are canceling nearly every kind of gathering, meeting, session, or other event. In some spots, only those businesses deemed “essential” remain open.

It’s serious stuff.

What do we do?

People of faith can lead the way, or we can tremble and cower. The Lord calls us to be responsible, employing God-given wisdom and discernment. But He also instructs us to care for one another.

Where does that put us, at such a time?

I think we can’t throw caution to the wind and go out to dance in a crowd. But we still need to love people.

We don’t take unnecessary risks. We try to follow the government guidelines (See 1 Peter 2:13 and Romans 13:1.) and heed medical experts’ instructions. But we still stand strong in our faith. 

 The Coronavirus pandemic did not catch God by surprise.

Jehovah Jireh promises to provide for us. (See Matthew 6:25-27.) Can we stock up without stockpiling? That’s called stewardship.

We can reach out in all sorts of ways to those who are distressed by the current crisis.

God may call some of us to step out and provide practical helps for those who cannot leave their homes. Countless ministries are ramping up their activities to serve those most impacted by the coronavirus and related quarantines.

Many of us will find other ways to encourage and support those who are struggling. All of us can pick up our phones, tap out texts, send emails, or otherwise offer comfort and courage to one another. How many churches have broadcasted their Sunday services and midweek ministries online in these trying times?

And before we throw proverbial stones at those who are taking extreme precautions or none, maybe we can all examine our own hearts. This message hits me hard, as I wash my hands for the umpteenth time. How clean is my heart?

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners;

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

(James 4:8, NKJV)

Practicing social distancing (the current buzzword for self-imposed separation to avoid catching or sharing contagions) is the responsible thing to do. It doesn’t take an epidemiologist to do the simple math on how this thing can continue to spread, if unchecked.

But social distancing can turn us inward. Will we focus on ourselves and our own interests, or can we use at least some of this slower-paced time to turn upward? Will we stop and make ourselves open to hearing from God in these quieter moments? Many will.

God is bigger than COVID-19.

 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.

Is anything too hard for me?”

(Jeremiah 32:27, ESV)

 

Our loving Creator takes no pleasure in seeing people suffer. Death does not delight Him. I believe He grieves to see His children languishing and losing battles with disease and death. At the same time, He knows (better than anyone) that we live in a fallen world.

• Heartbreaks happen.
• Pain is present (and constant for many).
• Infections occur.
• People ignore instructions at their own and others’ cost.
• Death is real.

God has not checked out, though. No way. He’s walking this troubling road with us.

Will God keep believers safe from the pandemic?

The Lord is our healer. Plenty of people are claiming immunity-by-faith, reciting Scriptures like this one:

 “Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.”

(Psalm 103:2-4, NLT, emphasis added).

Jehovah Rapha is surely able to do that. And one day, He will. But will He choose to remove the current threat (or existing infection) for all of us?

The Lord He heals in all kinds of ways – and maybe not how we expect Him to.

 God doesn’t always remove the storm. Most often, He takes us through it instead.

I’m banking on it. Are you?

Let’s pray for protection – and not just for ourselves.

Let’s ask God to guard our loved ones. Pray His shield over medical professionals, emergency responders, and others who continue to show up for work.

May we join forces to entreat the Lord to cause this plague to pass quickly. And may He be glorified in the midst of this storm, drawing hearts to His own.

Let’s be cautious, but not fearful. Let’s try hard, but not be terrorized. Let’s be wary, but not worried. Really, there’s a difference.

 “So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

(Isaiah 41:10, NIV)

Image/s:

Designed by this user with online generator.

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

Welcoming – God's character from A to Z

Even living in the American Midwest (a region often tagged as particularly friendly), I sometimes wonder if the world is not nearly as friendly or welcoming as it used to be. We live in a small town, sort of out in the country. We’ve been in the same neighborhood for almost 15 years, a subdivision with maybe 30 homes.

And we know about five families. I think I’ve actually stepped inside three homes besides our own. When I go jogging, I try to look up and smile or wave, but only a few folks even seem to look up.

Maybe that’s partly on us. Perhaps we’re the ones who aren’t wholly hospitable. I don’t know. But it doesn’t feel like the neighborhoods I remember from childhood. We used to play pickup kickball in the street. We’d knock on doors and holler and play hide-and-seek across the yards.

Not so much anymore.

It just seems as if people tend to steer up their driveways and into their garages, closing the doors behind them. No one appears to invite much interaction anymore.

God is not like that. He is wholly hospitable.

If God had a party (and He will have a whopper of a bash one day!), He'd throw open the doors and invite all His people. He'd want everyone to want to be on the guest list. (See Luke 14.) It wouldn't matter if everyone's kids went to the same schools, if they played the right sports, if they worked for certain companies, or even which flavor of church worship they liked. He'd welcome everyone who responded to His invitation.

God is 100 percent holy and would be altogether unapproachable, were it not for His great love and grace and mercy. But because He is committed to those He has created, He redeems us and calls us and welcomes us into His arms of compassion and forgiveness and acceptance.

Even before we come to realize it, we are thirsty for the water of life He offers.

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:18, NIV)

Wait a minute. Who is the bride?

The Bible repeatedly refers to the Church as the bride of Christ. Revelation 19 paints a prophetic picture of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when believers are united forever and fully with the Lord. Revelation 21 (the chapter preceding today’s key verse) describes the New Jerusalem (the Holy City) as “a bride adorned for her husband.”

In many other spots, Scripture compares the relationship between the Lord and His Church to a marriage. (See Isaiah 54:5 and 62:5, Matthew 25:1-46, Mark 2:19-20, John 3:29, 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Ephesians 5:25-27.)

Throughout the Old Testament book of Hosea, the parallel between a fully loving husband (God) and a faithless wife (His people) is drawn. Clearly, this analogy does not portray all wives as unfaithful or all husbands as ideal. And the bride metaphor includes both men and women. (Take it easy, guys! We get it.)

But the relational symbolism does allow us to envision the unbreakable and unshakable bond God forms with us, even when we display our mortal mischief and misgivings, our weaknesses and willful straying from Him. He keeps His vows.

God is welcoming.

God calls His people back repeatedly, honoring His own covenant of love and grace and mercy.

Related item/s:

• Does the LEGO theory block fellowship?
• Liniment for the Lonely – Bible First-Aid from A to Z
• Relational – God's character from A to Z
• Will God let everybody into Heaven? 
• Zero Tolerance in Heaven?  

Image/s:

Adapted from public domain art

Bible verse graphic – created on quote generator

Feel free to follow on GooglePlus and Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook.

Share