3 R’s of this pandemic

As we all witness this rising floods of the current pandemic, it’s tough to understand and comprehend as to what extent it might go and how it might halt. The kings and authorities are giving up, so are the top medical professionals. The whole world is in a grip of fear, uncertainty and hopelessness. Churches and gatherings have pulled down the shutters. All seem to be hiding in their homes. In such a world, as God’s children, how do we see the whole picture? Surely nothing is happening without God’s knowledge and all things which He does have a definite purpose.  Though we are unable to foresee the near future, let’s hold on to our faith that our Lord continues to rule the raging of the seas. Every wave raises up at His Word and it flows back into the sea at His Word.  Let’s ponder on three aspects of this crisis from the point of view of the Word of God.

The prophetic books in the Bible mainly prophesied about the coming of Messiah into this world and how the Israelites would be judged and how the gentiles would be also blessed with the gift of salvation. But these prophetic books continue to speak to individuals and churches on personal basis too. The Holy Spirit convicts us of His ways and purposes through these books till today. Let’s try to understand His mind and heart behind this great pandemic, which none of us might have ever witnessed before.

1. Realization: 42:24, ‘Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, Nor were they obedient: to His law.’ We read about several plagues in the Bible and each came as a result of disobedience. No plagues come without any purpose. Is.42:14, ‘“I have held my peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in ^[e]labor, I will pant and gasp at once.’  A woman in labor often is not in a position to discern as to who is standing before her and to respond accordingly. The extreme and rising labor pain sets her off from the perfect control of her mindset, including emotions. But God is not a God of chaos. Every seemingly chaotic situation in our mindset is in His perfectly planned schemes. Here the Lord has expressed the pain of longsuffering. The pain of waiting for His children to return to Him is beyond expression in words. Hence, He has chosen to express in this way. In a way, where the whole world is able to hear His voice, His fury, His judgement and deep love and yearning to see His children turning back to Him. We have taken His longsuffering for granted. But then time has come when He is unable to restrain Himself.  Though the whole scenario seems to be too harsh and unbearable, let it not harden our hearts. Instead, may we be able to seek and make efforts to comprehend the length and the breadth of His deep love which has instigated Him to pour out such fury.
2. Response: The right realization brings in right response. 42:17, ‘They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, who trust in carved images,
   who say to the molded images, ‘You are our gods.’ The only wise response to this pandemic is to repent and return to our Lord. Is.42:19-20, ‘Who is blind but My servant, Or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, And blind as the Lord’s servant? ²⁰ Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear.” Let’s not assume that we have already repented. The Lord calls ‘His servant’ and ‘His messenger ‘ as blind.  Repentance is an ongoing process. We are able to do it as and when we are able to see more and more of Him, and hear more and more from Him every day of our lives. The more we know Him, the more we are able to identify our sinful areas. Our Lord does not delight in the death of innumerable souls. His heart pains much more than ours. But righteousness and judgement is the foundation of His throne (Ps.89). Ez.33:11, ‘ Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways ! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ As we repent, surely he will accept us. There is hope only for a repenting heart. The Lord Himself is waiting for the prayers to rise up from repenting lives.  Ps.89:46-48, ‘How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? ⁴⁷ Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men? ⁴⁸ What man can live and not ^[n]see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of ^[o]the grave? ‘ No one, not even the servants of God could long bear the plagues that judged mankind time to time. They cried out to the Lord in anguish and pain. So, let’s keep humbling ourselves before the Lord and let’s keep crying out to Him till we see His mercy restore and heal this afflicted mankind. The Lord knows we are only dust. Let’s hope in His mercy.

And as we do this, the Lord’s response is this. Is.43:1-2, ‘But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. ² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.’ Indeed, it’s been tough for all of us to live in such a time. But the Lord’s presence is the only assurance of our protection. He will strengthen us and He will keep us. May we enjoy His peace, the peace that passes every understanding even when the waves and winds roar all around.

3. Restoration: 43:9-10, ‘Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.” ¹⁰ “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.’ Surely God has a great intention to attract innumerable souls to Himself through this. It seems He is Himself preaching about His great return and the final judgement and is convicting nations and societies and communities of the same. Let’s pray and expect a great spiritual revival across nations. May all see the true and living God. May the churches grow in leaps and bounds. Let the nations open for the gospel. For God does not want any soul to perish. May the remnant arise from every nation, every tribe and every language and may His name be glorified. Let’s have this great insight to see a glorious realm beyond this dark realm.

As we all eagerly wait for His glory, His greater glory to be seen in the coming restored world, may we use the time wisely: investing in prayers and more prayers, seeking Him more and more, meditating His word more and more, crying out for nations and people all around.  Let our hearts not fail by seeing the current bitter situation. Let’s keep hoping against all hope.  In Ex. 32 and 33, we see how the Lord plagued Israelites for worshipping idol. But that did not discourage Moses from seeking Him more earnestly. In Ex.33:18, ‘And he said, ‘I beseech thee, show me thy glory.’  No wonder God could not say ‘no’ to Moses’s intercession and plea to forgive Israelites. Moreover, let’s discern that the Lord’s return is too near. May we not miss this time to prepare ourselves to stand before Him, blameless.  For tomorrow is not ours. May we continue to hope in the glorious eternal life in Christ promised to each of us and submit ourselves.

 God bless us all
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