The Corona virus has us all weary with battle fatigue and frightened at this invisible enemy that has invaded our land. So today I would encourage you to take a step back, turn off the continuous loop of news shows, and as this verse exhorts, “consider what great things He has done for you.” Reflect on God’s mercy and providence if all your family and friends are healthy and safe. Contemplate His goodness if you have plenty of food in the house and are not in need. Meditate on His hand of protection that is keeping the vast majority of people safe in our Nation. Finally, ponder all the simple things God has done for you personally this week just to say, “I’m with you and I love you.”
Luke 12:22 ” Then Jesus said to His disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, or what you will wear.’ “
I dare say that many of us have spent a great deal of time lately worrying. And what I’ve discovered is that worrying is exhausting…both mentally, physically, and spiritually. But what I also must admit – is that worrying is very counter-productive, doesn’t change anything, and only produces apprehension within me. But there’s something else worrying creates and Psalm 37:8 talks about it…”Do not fret – it leads only to evil.” The Greek word for “evil” here means harm and/or unbelief. In other words, when I worry, I’m telling God I don’t trust Him. Ouch! In this verse Jesus was telling His disciples to focus on Him, not the temporal…to concentrate on the eternal, not the material. Oswald Chambers summed this up well when he wrote, “God doesn’t give us overcoming life…He gives us life as we overcome.”
I Kings 4:29 ” God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.”
God gave Solomon a wise and discerning heart…a heart full of prudence and plain old common sense. I love the word prudence! To many it’s rather an old fashion word…but the meaning is very basic – good sense. Years back, a Doctor nicknamed me Prudence for how I conducted myself and worked with patients, and I took it as a compliment! During these difficult times we can all use wisdom, insight, and understanding from the Lord, and the good news is He’s willing to give it to us, for in James 1:5 it tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Acts 7:48 ” However the Most High does not live in houses made by man.”
Just as God cannot be contained (I Kings 8:27)… that even the highest heavens cannot hold Him (II Chronicles 2:6) so the Church is not limited by the building or four walls that surround it. For right now the Church is made up of people that can’t meet together…but the Church still exists and can still make an impact for the Lord. That’s because the Body of Christ, the Church, can still pray and reach out to others with the love of our Lord. For just as the tomb couldn’t hold Jesus…the Church cannot be contained either.
Jeremiah 16:21 ” Therefore I will teach them – this time I will teach them My power and might. Then they will know that My name is the Lord.”
When Moses asked God by Who he should tell the Israelite nation had sent him, God replied, “I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14) This declaration is found over 6,000 times in the Old Testament and is the personal name of God by which He reveals Himself. For within the meaning is the timelessness and very foundation of all existence…by the Maker and Creator of all things. So in this verse in Jeremiah, God is making Himself known in order that we may recognize Him for Who He is…the all powerful, all sufficient, Almighty God.
Hosea 1:7 ” I will save them – not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses or horsemen, but by the Lord their God.”
It seems as if the entire world is in a battle. It’s a new, very strange and different type of battle…for our enemy is invisible. And because the enemy is unseen…we are filled with apprehension and fear. But we need to remember that just because COVID19 is unseen by the naked eye, doesn’t mean God can’t see it. And it’s not by our might or power that this battle will be won, but by His Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6) So as the Lord told Jehoshaphat in II Chronicles 20:15…He exhorts you today, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
Romans 8:35 ” Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? “
This week has been one for the record books as we proceed into the uncharted waters of a pandemic. So the Scripture today is especially important to not only read, but to internalize. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Jesus…not mandatory isolation, or calamity on the air waves, or the fear within us. And Paul was so persuaded of this that he wrote, starting in verse 38, “For I am convinced that neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation , will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This virus may have us sequestered from friends…but not from God. It may have us cut off from our Church, but not from the Body of Believers. Finally, this virus will never be virulent enough to take God’s love away, and “In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.”
I Corinthians 15:57-58 ” But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
The Apostle Paul could be writing these Scriptures to us today…Dear friends, stand firm and let nothing move you. For it is only by the Lord’s help that we can choose faith over fear, peace over panic, and worship over worry. Paul goes on to exhort us to look beyond ourselves and serve others. For just because we’re facing difficult times doesn’t mean what God has called us to do is now exempt, futile, or pointless in His eyes. Quite the opposite! Earlier in this Chapter, Paul writes that we are God’s fellow workers, (I Corinthians 3:9) and nothing we do in His Name will ever be insignificant, unimportant, or unworthy of the calling. Be the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost and dying world today and make a difference!
Isaiah 40:1 ” Comfort, comfort My people, says your God.”
Right now in these uncertain and troubling times, we are all looking for comfort. Looking for encouragement, hope, and reassurance to displace the fear and apprehension we’re feeling and witnessing around us. Chapter 40 of Isaiah starts out with this verse, telling us that God is there to give us strength and hope…that His word stands forever (verse 8) and ends with these powerful words, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (verses 29-30) Our comfort will be found in God and God alone…for in Him we will find hope and strength for another day.
Philippians 1:12-13 ” Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”
As a Christian Community we have been handed a big bag of lemons. We are self-isolating, quarantined, and staying away from others. But if you consider where Paul was when he wrote this letter…he was in prison! And Roman prisons were dark, dank, holes in the ground where the rats ran free and food was scarce. But yet, Paul, made lemon-aide out of the lemons he was handed! For even though he was chained, cold and hungry he saw it as an opportunity to serve God and preach the Good News of the Gospel. So think how you could take that bag of lemons you’ve been handed today and creatively make lemon-aide out of them. With many children home now, have them reach out to Great-Grandparents, Great-Uncles, and Aunts who are stuck inside their homes. It gets pretty lonely when its just you, the TV, and the dog or cat. For the younger ones, they could color pictures or make cards to send to family members As for you, think how you could reconnect with old friends, call those elderly neighbors nearby to check in, start a online Bible Study or Pray Group with friends, and get back into your Bible. Let’s look at this time as Paul did…and make lemon-aide out of that bag of lemons.
Safetypinlove 