Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, our lives in many parts of the world have been turned upside down. We are to limit exposure to other people and large gatherings, which pretty much forces us to stay in our own homes. However, this is not as much a curse as it is a blessing. Life goes too fast nowadays, so fast in fact that we rarely have time to spend with the ones we love and time to focus on what really matters.

Be not afraid. God is in control. He always has been and always will be. He is trying to clear our schedules and trying to get more of our attention than what we’ve routinely given Him. Just like the Bible says, God is not necessarily in the loud noises and ruckus. God is found in the still, quiet voice. We need things to be quiet for a little while so that we can hear Him and talk with Him.

This is a time of prayer. This is the time to come back to God. Relationships take attention, but in our world today, there isn’t a moment that goes by that we aren’t seemingly distracted by twenty things at once. It’s sad, but it sometimes takes something big for us to finally come back to God in prayer and repentance.

I remember back to September 11, 2001. Horrific events happened on that day, but it gave us pause. On Monday the 10th, they weren’t allowing prayer in schools. But on Tuesday the 11th, there wasn’t a school around that wasn’t praying. on Monday, people were leading their lives and not thinking about God or eternity. But on Tuesday the 11th, people were clamoring to get into a church. America was a country divided on Monday, but on Tuesday Americans were standing as one. Unfortunately things went with the worldly flow and eventually jerked back into the hectic workaday life that it has become recently. We now long for Facebook friends and “likes” rather than companionship and love. How quickly we forget.

Honestly, we needed another pause moment to get our minds back where it belongs. On God, on family, on love and what really matters in the long run for each of us. I’m truly sorry this happened and that it is affecting so many peoples lives in a terrible way, but don’t let this time go by and have nothing to show for it. I pray this ends quickly, but I also pray that we learn from this circumstance.

This coronavirus is wreaking havoc in the world and we need to stay vigilant, but don’t let fear and panic overtake your lives. Let this situation bring you focus. Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for our sins. It was the most horrible of evils, but it brought about the greatest of goods through it. Our salvation is brought about from that cross. All of our own sins and evils were taken away and nailed to it. Now it is time for us to nail to the cross our former ways. Everything that took our minds and hearts away from our families and especially from Jesus needs to be nailed to that cross. And when we look back on this time in our history, we shall see it for what it is, a turning point where we decided that it is better to pursue the good and everlasting rather than the fleeting.

The Bible says that God will use all things for the good of those who love Him. All things means just that, ALL THINGS, even viruses. Turn to Jesus. Live for Him. Now’s the time!

God’s blessings to you.

DH