He knew better than we could ever know, the kind of troubles we would have to face; and well ahead of them, He promised us His peace and gave it freely. “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Letting us know that in the face of serious challenges to our peace, when the only thing we see is trouble and fear, He has given us peace. That peace will overshadow and calm every storm in ways that only He can. “Peace, be still…” (Mark 4:39)
The COVID-19 moved fast and before we knew it, it was a pandemic and every country had it. Anyway, we all know the story. And I am sure we don’t need me to rehash it. It is painful enough. It is in our faces. Our lives tell the story. The lockdown, job losses, multiple deaths tell the story. The fear going round tells the story. As we watch the numbers daily, we are all just waiting for it to end; hoping for a drug that works or any solution from whatever source.
You know, in the midst of this pandemic some people are actually smiling to the bank? I’m sure Zoom is having the best boom ever! I can’t count how many meetings I have attended on the Zoom platform in the last month! My daughter’s school actually uses the Zoom platform to deliver some of their lectures. There are others too. Food vendors, delivery and logistics companies, pharmacies, grocery stores, and the list goes on. They are able to rise up to the occasion and serve the people who are locked down and desperate for supplies.
I don’t know how you are coping with this, but I find that every day, I have to remind myself that God is still in charge and I have no cause to worry. Even then, I find it difficult to muster enough courage to step out of my house to take a walk around my estate.
In the midst of the lockdown, economic crises, sickness, and death, let us lift up our eyes to the only one who can save us, to the One True God. He hears us when we call. Pray for an end to this invasion. Pray for His light to come to dispel this darkness. Pray for His healing to flow through the nations. Pray that these days will not be unduly prolonged. We have to keep praying, even when we don’t feel like it.
In these times of fear, sickness, and death, there is a tendency to focus on the events around us. It is not good news anywhere in the world. Those who are well are fearful of catching a highly contagious COVID-19. Those who are sick are fearful of death. It is not farfetched, for all around us, we hear of sickness, of death on a daily basis and in huge numbers. Every news media carries the sad news. You can hardly avoid it.
The past month was quite interesting. I had some good times and some not so good. It’s usually in February that the first challenge to our goals and aspirations comes. The initial zeal and fire of January get burnt out in February and except we are able to push through it, everything extraordinary stops there. Life returns to normal and all the things we had resolved to do get forgotten in the humdrum of routine and daily life.
We’re knocking down another month. It’s only a few days to the end of February. Then, it will be March, the last month of the first quarter. Wow! Let’s get kicking! This is the time to review goals again and see what you need to do on a daily basis to achieve them. Even if you have been distracted like me, don’t worry. Just get back on track. Resume your race. Refocus and keep moving. It’s not over until it’s over. Get going!
“You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25: 9
“Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.” Exodus 25: 40
This year, our community of believers is taking this year as our fearless year: fearless faith, fearless worship, fearless flourishing and fearlessly launching out into the deep. We intend to be bold and courageous this year, knowing that all of our strength and courage will come from God, but putting our faith in Him and stepping out of our comfort zones. We believe like Joshua and Caleb that regardless of the economy and the environment we live in, we are able to go up and take the land because God is able to deliver it into our hands.
