Fear Not, Trust In God

Remember, dear friends, you are not alone.

 “This too shall pass.”

Our entire world is on pause, waiting for concrete answers.

How do we stop this diabolical Coronavirus – which seems to prey, the majority of the time, on the weaker among us?

Yes, it is bad.

But, as Christians, we are to fear not, trust in God, and model these truths for those around us who have no hope.

We can pray for Holy Spirit guidance to reach out to those who are now open to hearing the gospel.

It’s easy to get consumed with talk about the latest updates and news about the Coronavirus. Much of that talk is good, and dissemination of information is healthy. But, in the midst of this pandemic, we lean on the fact that we have power through our words and through the Word of God to bring light in a challenging situation.¹ – Pastor Jerry Lawrence, courtesy Medi-Share blog.

Which Separation Is Worse?

The required six feet of separation from our neighbors and friends is bad enough.

It’s awkward and inconvenient, but from what the experts are telling us, it’s a necessary step to help flatten the curve.

We could be facing six feet of separation for the next couple of weeks or longer.

Hopefully not, but can you even imagine?

But, as startling as the spread of this virus is, what is even more sad are the numbers of people around us who have no hope and no trust.

Sadly, some of these people with weakened immune systems could die with no promise of eternal life.

Nothing compares to “eternal separation” from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Don’t Forget His Promises

Our trust is not in man.

We need to lean on God.

He is a Promise Keeper.

There will eventually be an end to all of this.

Last Sunday, my pastor quoted these words in his sermon:

Those words really stuck with me.

Actions Affect Outcomes

We must pray, and on that glorious day when this virus is stopped in its tracks, we must continue to pray and be grateful.

Remember after 9-11 when churches across America were packed?

It’s not that way now.

What happened?

Life got in the way again, like it always does.

Life got in the way of our Heavenly Father.

People have put their faith second place to other distractions such as politics, their jobs, you name it . . .

When are we going to learn?

Atheist groups succeeded in removing His Most Holy Name from almost every aspect of our lives.

The majority of Christians during those actions stayed silent.

Did we think He wouldn’t notice?

We must humble ourselves as a nation before Almighty God.

God didn’t cause this evil, but He has allowed it.

Without Jesus, We Are A Lost People

So here we are, facing this evil virus with an N95 respiratory mask.

As a nation, here’s what we need on a bigger scale.

Jesus Christ.

Will this crisis spark a permanent revival in America?

I can only hope so.

Father, we pray for America with this Coronavirus, that has the potential to spread.

 Lord, You’re bigger than this virus.

 We’re praying that these numbers will start going down, not up.

We’re praying that anyone that has it would be healed.

 And we’re praying that Lord we would not live in fear, but rather we would live in faith.

Give wisdom to Vice-President Pence and his team as they deal with this, help them to know what to do, when to do it, the steps to take, the practical.

But Lord, we don’t rely only on that.

We are prayerful, looking to You and knowing that You are God and that You love us. So hear our prayer Lord, answer our prayer.

We pray this together in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.² – Greg Laurie, Pastor, Bible teacher, and author.

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¹ Pastor Jerry Lawrence quotation, courtesy of Medi-Share blog. “Finding Faith During Times Of Fear.” March 18, 2020. para.12. Web. Accessed 19 March, 2020. 

² Pastor Greg Laurie prayer, “Thoughts on the Coronavirus Outbreak.” Online video clip. March 7, 2020. Web. Accessed 9 March, 2020.