Lord Help
Even though in 1981 a pandemic was prophesied (by Dean Koontz, a Christian writer) that he would later say would come out of the Wuhan province in China (the exact province from which the Coronavirus came), it has been 39 years since that was written. A whole new generation has arisen.
My grandfather (who was a doctor) contracted the virus of 1918 which infected 500 million worldwide and killed 20 million. As a child, I remember my grandmother telling of her husband being in one of the beds in a hall full of beds (because all the rooms were so packed).
We see all manner of reactions to this virus, since most of us have had flu but few of us have lived through a pandemic of a new disease.
Therefore, we must listen to those more qualified to guide us and we must behave. We have a long history of cheering for the rebel (true to our old, fallen nature). But now is the time to cry out to God and obey the authorities.
Like 9/11
We were never the same after 9/11. It changed us. This world-wide pandemic, I believe, will do the same.
All of us are wondering just how long this will last along with other practical concerns.
But along with the day to day concerns, all of us Christians should be before the Lord in prayer to hear how He wishes us to make use of this very rare time . . . this pause. This silence . . . this exhale.
A Time Apart
For me, it seems to be a time set aside to draw closer to the Lord . . . to listen for Him; to take time just to sit together and enjoy one another.
Recently, life came screeching to a halt and is being rebooted, it seems, as a slow, ambling, drift down a quiet river on a sunny, spring day. The sun is warm, but not hot and there is little to do but drag our fingertips through the lazy water passing the boat.
We have forgotten what it’s like – that life. We have been transported to a lifestyle 75 to 100 years ago: God, home, family, neighbors.
The push, push, push of the type of life we live at present, has slipped away and we are left confronting our priorities, our lack of private reflection and hunger for God. It is as though a fog has cleared and we are seeing our lives in painfully clear relief.
The enemy may have brought a dreadful virus, but God is using this time to reset our lives. Just like 9/11, once we get through this, we are going to have a different, a clearer vision – but it will be with dove’s eyes. For we have remembered the summer days of our youth – when our minds were not painfully cluttered with so many things. We actually took time to gaze at the stars or watch the lightning bugs begin to come out at twilight. We had time to listen to the wind stir the trees, or hear a dog bark a block away, or even further in the distance, to hear a night train blow its whistle, as it approached a railway crossing.
Many of us seem too busy to enjoy life. Media has filled all the spaces in our minds that we used to leave empty waiting for wonderful surprises from our Creator. There was room in our minds in those days for awakenings as our Father took us by the hand and strolled with us. Little things seemed enormous and we were tender before the Lord.
He is taking us back to those gentler times. He has missed us and now we know we have missed Him.
Let’s just see what He plans to do with us after this gentle pause. The gaudy lights of Times Square and Hollywood have lost their appeal as we turn our gaze steadily on Him. Now, with our hand in His, we are walking forward into a recalibrated and simpler tomorrow. He has centered us. He has brought us “home”.
I want to thank every person who is now or has contributed to Christ Jesus Triumphant. These are not easy times and we see every donation as a great sacrifice on your part to the Lord and to His work. Thank you. We pray the Lord rewards you a thousand times over, dear blessed friends. May our God reveal His heart to you in these times and may He abundantly prosper you.
