12/06/2020
How can we not trust in the love and protection of God, who sent His only begotten Son to the cross to save us from sin, and death? When we are faced with calamity we should not fear, but know instead that if we pray in the name of Jesus for God’s help He will release His heavenly armies, who stand at the ready to aid us, or touch us with His healing hand... out of His mercy and grace. Do we call out to Him as we should? Do we trust in him to the same extent that we love Him; with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
“I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.””
Psalm 91:2 ESV
In this time in which we live today our trust in God is especially important. Being overcome by fear of the COVID-19 pandemic is not how we should react; it causes us stress and demonstrates that we have a lack of trust in the fact that God’s will is at work in the world as a whole, even as it is in our individual lives. We trust in times of personal danger and hardship that our God is good, and we even trust in death that we will enter His presence for eternity. So, why do we find it hard to trust Him in times of global disaster?
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 ESV
Is death the reason for our lack of trust? Well death is not the end, and for those who believe in Jesus it is not to be feared. We are told in scripture that all men are appointed to die... that means the good and the bad alike, but in Jesus the good and faithful, will be saved, and in this way death has no sting, and becomes good.
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV
In this way, just as we praise God for His protection, provision, and all of the other good things He does for us, we should praise Him equally as much for death, and not fear it, but wait eagerly for it because in death Jesus will save us, and deliver us into God’s hands forever. In this way COVID-19 has no hold over us, and neither does any other calamity whose ultimate threat to us is death. Our only fear should be in losing faith, and trust in God.
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28 ESV
In this way our trust in God should not abate in any hardship, and not even in death. Our fear is unfounded in anything the world can bring against us; it is ruled by Satan, and He can do nothing without God allowing it because God is greater than he who is in the world.
“and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
1 John 4:3-4 ESV
So whether Satan is attacking us as an individual, or coming against the masses of people around the earth, it is the same... God saves His children, and redeems them by the one, or by the millions alike. The sting of death has been conquered for us, and for all the millions upon millions of those who believe as we do in Jesus Christ... so, if we say we fear the pandemic because of its global scale then we also must fear for our own solitary death, and in this way we have demonstrated that our lack of trust in God is the same.
“He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.”
Psalm 91:4-6 ESV
Take heart, and know that God is good now, and forevermore. His will is the same whether we are leaning back in the comfort of His arms as babies do, enduring some hard thing, or facing death... He is with us, and will lift us up... He loves us, and extends His grace to us always, but we must have faith, and trust in Him, just as we love Him, and His Son Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
Father thank you for your goodness, and faithfulness to your Word. Thank you for the perfect nature of your will, and for giving us the strength to endure those things that we find difficult as we obey it. You are our god, and we trust you in all things, even in our death. You have overcome he who is in the world, and in this way we have nothing to fear. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is trustworthy in all things, and who loves us beyond our understanding. We praise you in every storm, and fear no evil... even in the valley of the shadow of death. You are our great defender, our savior, and redeemer. Your mercy and grace give us hope, and faith, in the most horrific of times, the deepest of losses, and in the midst of heartbreak and mourning. Hear our prayers Father, as we confess our sins in contrition, and ask your forgiveness in the name of Jesus. See us washed of sin by the blood of your Son, and call us home to your house where we will spend eternity in your loving presence; praising and worshipping you without end... every tear having been dried, all wounds healed, and all our fears vanquished.
Rich Forbes