What a strange time we currently live, a time that will feature in the history books as one of the biggest events of the 21st century. The global pandemic of Covid-9 aka Coronavirus has hit and swept through the world unlike anything we as a people have witnessed before. The last outbreak of a deadly disease was the Spanish Flu in the early 20th century. Since that time we have had several struggles as a human race, but that has mainly been against each other. This time however is a time where the human race is up against a disease that does not discriminate and will attack anyone it comes into contact with.
At the time of writing this, we as a global population watch its rise and pray for its fall, we keep tabs on places like China where the disease first appeared in humans and we watch carefully the numbers and actions of Italy and Spain as they have suffered greatly. We monitor our own movements and guidance from our Governments and try to do the best for ourselves and those around us. The economy has stalled and many people face hardships in maintaining their bills and putting food on their tables. We have seen panic buying and fear spread across nations and all in a time when there should be plenty. plenty of healthcare, plenty of food, plenty of support.
The term unprecedented has been used for this time, unprecedented it might be in our lifetime but it is not unprecedented in the history of the world as plagues and diseases have swept countries and the planet before. This disease may be spreading further with our ability to travel so easily, which may help its destructiveness to the systems we have come to create in the world. So this all sounds pretty dark, the death toll pretty scary and the ravishes of the disease sweeping what is the biggest superpower of the day pretty unthinkable. It is a humbling reminder that we as humans are quite fragile in the end and death comes to us all.
Now that I have been completely morbid and put the frighteners on you, let me talk about hope. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen, it's a feeling of trust. This is exactly what we as people have right now. Hope! Hope in a people that have learnt the lessons of kindness and goodness, hope in the level of science that has come to amaze and help us over the decades that brings us understanding of how we live and can find medications, hope that our Governments see us the people there are tasked to govern and support them in their time of need, hope that our medical facilities can and will save us if we become ill.
At the time of writing this, it is Easter and Easter reminds us of a different hope, a new hope for those who haven't heard the message of Jesus before. But for those who are Christians and know what Easter is all about, in this time (as a leader in our church said in the good Friday service streamed out on Instagram live) a "rediscovering" of hope.
We are reminded of God, who He is and what He has done for us. Not only what He has done, but what He can and will continue to do for us. Jesus came into this world to teach us how to live life in a fallen world where disease and death were very much a part of the structure of what the world had become. Jesus taught us how to live without fear and with hope for what can be in this world and what will come if you truly believe in Him. Jesus also paid the ultimate price in order to fulfil our hope with the eternal gift of salvation and everlasting life. Life, there it is in a world where life is currently stifled we are forced to reconsider what true life is, this is where our hope comes from, that despite all that is going on around us we re-focus on what matters and find the peace from the Holy Spirit to live that out.
Who is important? Well God says its people, He wouldn't have done what He did if we weren't. So in this time of hardship, distance and fear let us remember the hope to the world Jesus and lets bring a little hope ourselves.
For those who may still be sceptical of what we can do, then search out methods of blessing people with food, finances, resources, care. Stay safe to help protect yourself, but see what organisations there are to help. Connect with people again, call or video phone, message and talk sometimes people just want to know they are thought of and cared about, even if it is at a distance. For those in remote villages and poorer communities, what is it you can safely do? Ask yourself and God this and follow the inspirations of your heart. Volunteer for things if you can and don't forget to cheer those who are working extremely hard to support each other no matter what role they do. especially the cleaners.
In case you are wondering what God can do:
- God rescued His people from bondage and slavery in Egypt. During the process of breaking the Egyptians will and showing that He is God over all Gods, Yahweh kept the Israelites safe from the diseases that were striking Egypt at the time.
- 2 Kings 4 - Widow is saved from poverty
- God heals many people from sickness
- God sends people to uplift and support others (in this time 2020, still can be achieved whilst social distancing)
I want to also remind everyone that the bible says this:
Matthew 6 v 25-27
"25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"
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