For the past eight years, during both democratic and republican presidencies, we’ve seen an increase in shootings, addictions, enmity between races and political parties, sexual immorality, gang crime, depravity in film and TV, denying life to babies, and contempt of God and Christians. I’ve also witnessed an increase in Christians praying for our country based on 2 Chronicles 7:14.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
I believe God is answering those prayers. I’m not saying that He sent this plague, but He is using it to rattle every region of the world. Our merciful God can use the pandemic to remind us of our mortality and of His sovereignty. This era is a “correction.” Like the markets, we have overvalued ourselves above our Creator. We’ve been living a lie to think that we are our own gods. There is only one, and when we understand that and His incomparable love for us, then we can rest in Him and trust what He is doing. He is very much involved in this situation.
As a Christian, I try to seek God first, but my heart tends toward self-coronation. I am re-discovering this in Lent. (How appropriate that this pandemic is sweeping through in the season of Lent!) I sense God calling me through the pandemic to confess the sins of our country and also my sins of focusing on myself and neglecting the Gospel, which is the power of God to change people. Change must begin in me and those who believe in Jesus.
This moment in history, when our lives are threatened, is (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold out our hands with the gift of the Gospel. Even with social distancing, we can interact with people in drive-throughs and those who walk the neighborhood. We’ve got a host of people in our contacts we can call and check on. Our churches are broadcasting the Gospel across online venues. One of my friends is sewing masks for cancer patients. Another friend is communicating help for parents plopped into homeschooling. People continue to generate creative ideas for reaching people. Share yours. Though the birds are building nests and kids are playing, this is a sober time. Let’s not waste it.
LORD, we need Your intervention to stop our descent. In Your mercy, please use COVID-19 to grab our attention, so that we may see what is important and what is not. Open our eyes to recognize and confess Your sovereignty and our arrogance and idolatry. Please enable us to turn to You, who alone is God and holds our lives in Your hand. Fill us with Yourself, for only then will we be full. Through the sacrifice and matchless name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Thank you so much! I needed a reminder that God is in charge, not me! I went to the grocery store yesterday and came home fearful and angry because I was inconvenienced by this virus. Lord, forgive my pettiness! Help me to realign my priorities and look to you for my help and comfort. Thank you, Suzie, for pulling me from the brink.
Myrene, we missed you on Zoom this morning and hope you’re staying well. We’re all irritated with grocery store shortages, don’t feel alone! I think stress makes our reactions stronger than they might be normally. You’re right, God is in charge. Whew!
Excellent perspective and Truth. Thank you Susie. May God bless you and your family with His great mercy and peace during these uncertain times.
In His Grip,
Bobbi Williams
Thank you, Bobbi. God is blessing us. Hopefully we’re able to recognize it more and not take mundane days for granted.Blessings on your family too. May God protect you all, especially Bill if he is seeing patients.
Thank you, Suzy. Let’s pray that during this time we will re-evaluate our relationship to God and to others, and that (as you said) it will be a time to “reset” and a lasting “correction” in our lives.❤️
Thank you, Vera. God is sooo good!
Suzy, thank you for, yet, another great message. I love reading them and they help me so much, as a reminder of the fact that there are those of us who trust in the Lord. God is, was and always will be in control of all things. I have said that for a very long time and I pray that more people wake up to that fact. We can always help others, even in the smallest of way. I have a nurse living next door to me and she is working very long hours and I took her a plate of food last night when she got home and you talk about someone who was so appreciative of it, that was her. She did not have to fix something to eat, when she was so exhausted and it was a gift to her. I am telling you this because this is what God puts on my heart to do and I praise Him for that. We all can help lift the spirits of others, if only we would look for ways to do it. Everything you said in your message about this world is so true and until people turn to God and away from their wicked way, it will not change. I forget at times to thank Him but I never think I can do more than HIm because I KNOW that I can’t. I look forward to your next message. Praying you have a blessed week.
Thank you,Kathy, and thank you for doing something practical for your neighbor. It feels great to be able to DO something! God changes the world one person at a time, and thank Him that He is changing us too!
Oh my, what a blessing your words, & the truth, conviction & encouragement in them😇 You are well used of the Lord, Suzy. God bless you & Thank you for sharing your gift. ❤️
Jean, hope you and your family are all well and weathering this strange, sunny storm.
Thank you, Suzie — I loved this! And my heart is in tune with yours. As a workplace chaplain in New York, I am no longer allowed to make in person work site visits. The Lord is allowing me to keep in touch with the women in other ways, and I have much more time for prayer for each one. God is the One who draws people to Himself, the One who comforts, the One who speaks to their hearts, so prayer is the most important thing I do. It always has been the most important thing I do . . . I just didn’t realize that quite so much as now. Thanks for sharing. What a wonderful perspective!
Thank you, Elise, for that all important call to prayer. It is the most powerful action we can take. Thanks for reading!
For me, knowing that God never closes one door that he doesn’t open another, I have felt the Spirit witness to my heart during this strange time of isolation about how the very things that we do to help us stay close to the Lord and others can get off kilter and become the object of our focus. Since my weekly schedule includes at least 4 types of Christian meetings of various kinds throughout the week, I can no longer go to themt and be obedient to our governmental authority as well as common sense. Especially since my age puts me in the “risk group.” So the challenge has been what do you do when you lose all of your “support” Christian activities? And the answer for me has been, remember the REASON you get together. Focus on the REASON for all your joy and peace. Recharge your spiritual batteries by keeping your eyes on Jesus and don’t fret. What is meant (God’s will) to last will be there when this pestilence has passed (or is deemed safe). Often, for a Christian the line between depending on others to keep your eyes on the Lord (and in your life) may have its season. But this “season” of Lent is for me a time to remember that no matter where we are or who we are with or not with, Jesus is near.
Very well said, Carol. Stay tuned for my next blog on Monday. It says a similar message.