Tag Archive | trust in God

Peace in the Midst of a Pandemic

Mar23

Can it be possible?  We are literally experiencing a global pandemic…a new virus previously unheard of in humans, although veterinarians have been vaccinating cattle against a strain of it for many years!  Perhaps the fear and media hysteria surrounding this new Corona Virus have created more panic than reason, largely because this event is unprecedented.

 

One thing we as Christians can be assured of:  This event has not taken God by surprise!  He in His ultimate sovereignty has allowed this crisis to take place and as His children, we can believe Romans 8:28,  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  (NASB)  We know God is at work and has allowed this to happen!

Let’s take a look at a few facts:  Global pandemics are not new; the term means, “an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population.”

In 1918, the most severe pandemic of influenza in recent history took place.  It was the H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin, and it is estimated that about 500 million people (1/3 of the world’s population at that time) became infected with the virus.  At least 50 million worldwide died; in the United States there were 675,000 deaths.  This dwarfs the current pandemic by huge amounts!  My grandmother’s sister sadly lost her one-year-old twin sons to this horrible plague.  In 1956-1958 the “Asian flu” caused 1.1 million deaths worldwide, 116,000 here in the United States.  The flu epidemic of 1968, the “Hong Kong flu”, caused a death toll worldwide of over 1 million; and most recently  the H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic of 2009-2010 infected 60.8 million worldwide, with nearly 13,000 U.S. deaths.  Do you remember this one?  Our Federal government passed a supplemental funding aid bill of $350 million dollars.  It seemed life went on pretty much as usual, although it was obviously horrific for those affected.

The Corona Virus (Covid-19 is apparently a bit different than the flu in that the bacteria attack the lungs instead of the stomach and is extremely contagious.   Also, the death rate is a bit higher than that of the flu, although most cases range from very mild to severe with a death rate a bit over 2%, and the vast majority of people with it recover.

Some people feel this is God’s judgment on people who have refused to repent of their sin.  There are a number of passages in the Old Testament where God sent plagues, pestilence, famine, wars and thousands and thousands were killed, because the nation of Israel refused to obey His laws and keep His commandments, preferring instead to worship in idolatry and  commit acts of debauchery.  You may want to read about some of these instances:  II Kings 17:6-20; II Chronicles 34:24-27; Isaiah 24:4-6,10; Amos 4:6-12.  In these cases either prophets were predicting horrible events in the future if they did not repent of their sins, or God Himself was explaining why He had done what He did… if they would not obey and serve Him instead of other gods, He would do thus and so; and then He would end by saying, “Yet you have not returned to me!”  But He continued to love them.

It is easy to see why God might want to send judgment on wicked people.  However, this is something that we must leave up to Him and not proclaim judgment if He has not directly stated that this is the case!  Of course, during the great tribulation on earth before His second coming (when the Church has already been raptured out), He will pour out His wrath on the earth by sending mighty plagues such as boils, hail, fire and other judgments.  These are detailed in Revelation 16.  Does the Word of God say that the people repented?  On the contrary it states that “they blasphemed God!”

 

So, you say, if this is not a judgment at this time, just what is it?  While we do not always know everything God is up to, I promise you we can trust Him!  He is at work and is allowing this pandemic not only to wake people up, giving them a chance to turn to Him, but to give us as His people a chance to show the world we do not fear these things, but our trust is in the Lord God! Our reaction during this time is so important!

When Habakkuk turned to God and asked the question, How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear?  I cry out to You, “Violence!” yet You do not save….Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises.  Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld….”; God answered Him,  Look among the nations!  Observe!  Be astonished!  Wonder!  Because I am doing something in your days—-you would not believe if you were told.  Habakkuk 1:2-5 (NASB)

 

Wow!  If God really told us everything He is up to, we would probably not be able to handle it!  He truly knows the end from the beginning and all He asks of us, His children, is to “trust, obey and leave the results to Me!”  That really frees us  from worry, doesn’t it?  So, in these trying days where you are perhaps feeling a bit inconvenienced, perhaps stressed because of the constant barrage of negative information flowing from the airwaves each day, afraid for what lies ahead, perhaps worrying that your finances will be drained, not to mention the fear of you or your loved ones succumbing to the virus itself, rise up in faith and stand on the promises of God!  II Timothy 1:7 says,  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)   Philippians 4:6 &7 tell us,  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (NASB)

Psalm 91 is one of the best psalms I know of to read, memorize and quote each day!  It speaks of God delivering us “from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence”; “a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you”; “no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling”, and on and on!  What beautiful words to live by!  Verses 1 and 2 start out,  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” (NKJV)  What is there to fear when God is on our side?

I would like to close with a song I wrote several years ago called “In the Secret Place“….I took the title from Psalm 91 and I pray it will bless you in your worship time today!  Remember:  “For the child of God, as believers, the best is yet to come!”

 

 

Rebecca’s music is available on Pandora and Spotify, and by going to the link to the right on this page to “purchase Rebecca’s music”.

 

His Eye Is On the Sparrow!

Jul14

house-sparrow-791726[1]Recently I observed something so sweet I just had to share it!  We have a backyard bird feeder, designed especially for the smaller songbirds, and, not surprisingly, finches, sparrows and other small birds come daily in droves to enjoy its contents of seeds and small nuts.  I was standing by our glass door watching, when a small sparrow flew to the porch and just sat there for a moment.  Soon another larger sparrow, apparently its mother, flew up to the little bird, who opened its mouth widely, and deposited some seed acquired from the bird feeder in its little mouth!  This happened several times and I have observed the same thing with finches, as well.

Now, this may not seem that important to the casual observer, but to me it was a lesson in provision by our Heavenly Father.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?” (ESV)  He later went on to say, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” (Matthew 10:29, ESV)

I walked out the door into our beautiful garden and observed many new lilies that were all decked out in assorted, brilliant colors!  Then I was reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:28, “And why are you anxious about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field…will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (ESV)

The Father gave me an object lesson while I observed the sparrows and the lilies.  It went something like this:  If God is concerned about a little minute sparrow, one of several trillion birds in the world, and the lovely lilies growing so spectacularly in a pageant of splendor, not to mention the countless doves that have made our backyard home, cooing and chasing each other around the terrace, will He not care for me and my needs and desires?  Does He not know what I need before I ask?  Does He not see each crisis, not only in my own life, but in the world in general?  Does He not have everything under His control and is He not aware of the evil that seems to dominate this world until His Son, Jesus, comes again to take us to be with Him forever?

Well, I was humbled and repented of ever worrying about anything!  Years ago I had a nationally syndicated TV program of music, praise and worship, and special guests.  I interviewed a lady who had actually died while on the delivery table in childbirth, during which time her spirit actually left her body and entered into Heaven for a brief time.  During this awesome experience, she related how she actually saw Jesus and was unable to stand in His presence, bowing before Him in adoration and worship!  The one thing I vividly remember from the interview, were her words:  “All I could think about in His presence was, ‘Oh, why did I worry so much about everything when I was on earth?  Now none of it matters!’ ”  Although the Lord was not ready for her to die permanently and be with Him forever, returning her spirit to her body and helping her deliver a healthy baby, this experience changed her life dramatically.

So, why do we worry about everything?  As the beloved song says, “His eye is on the sparrow and I know He’s watching me!”  Even as I write this article, I hear the sparrows, finches and other songbirds glorifying God with their chirps, warbles and trills.  It gives me great comfort and a sense of security to know that God has everything under control, particularly the things concerning me personally.  I know the world is in tremendous chaos, that the financial markets worldwide are crumbling; governments throughout the world are corrupt as evil men and women defy God and His Word by propagating their own agendas; that rulings and laws designed to promote secularism and progressive ideologies are completely contrary to the way God has designed for humanity to live.  However, I know that only with a “heart change” on the inside can men and women truly live according to God’s law and plan for us!  This can only be accomplished by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the only way to salvation, “the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14;6, NKJV) Contrary to popular opinion, there are not many roads or ways to salvation, only One Way, Jesus Christ!

So, what do we fear?  God has everything and everyone of us in His Hand and all He asks of us is obedience to His Word and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior from our sins.  I love Revelation 3:10 and 11, “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.  I am coming soon.  Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (ESV)

This pretty much sums up the reason I am not worried about the future as long as I am serving my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  He will keep those who love Him from the Enemy who is out to get them, and bring us all safely home!  Next time you are tempted to worry, just sing “His Eye Is On the Sparrow” and know He really is watching over you!