I feel there is so much fear right now about the COVID-19 also known as the Corona Virus. There is a lot of confusion and anxiety and that is all you hear on television. Even our churches have refrained from assembling together at this time. Please listen to the medical experts and take appropriate measures like washing your hands, etc. but remember we are in God’s hands! That is what I want to write about today. Do not be consumed with fear. Years ago, I heard that you should sing, “Happy Birthday” while you wash your hands to make sure you are washing them for at least 20 seconds! That became a habit. Recently someone posted a great idea on face book. Instead of singing “Happy Birthday,” pray the Lord’s Prayer. I began doing that and it has been amazing!
By praying it so many times a day, I am reminded constantly of Who He is and Whose I am! It puts things in perspective. In Matthew 6: 9-13 and Luke 11: 2-4 we read The Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; they kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we address God’s rightful place as the Father! We praise God for all that He is and all that He has done! We acknowledge He is in control and not us. We present your request to God. We confess our sins and repent. We request protection and help in overcoming sin and Satan’s attacks on us. At a time like this we need to remind ourselves often of Who He is! We need to praise Him for what all He is doing to take care of us. We want to confess and repent as we draw closer to Him. We want to ask His protection over us! Psalm 91: 4, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
Being persistent increases our desperation for God reminding us, again, of Who He is and who we are. We should pray specifically which will help us see God’s activity in regards to our prayer. We should also pray expectantly which reminds us that God has our best interests in mind whether He responds in the way we think best or not. We can trust Him.
This morning I heard someone on tv say, “what can we do?” While being smart and listening to the medical experts, we need to replace our fear with faith and prayer. We can pray for our nation and ask God to protect us. Philippians 4: 13, “”Don’t worry about anything and pray about everything!” God already knows our doubts and fears and He cares about them. 1 Peter 5: 7, “Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” That means we need to give our uncertainties to God who wants us to feel secure in Him. In order to feel secure in Him, you must have a relationship with Him. He sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins so that we can be with Him forever.
As we go through this time of uncertainty let’s remember who and Whose we are. We are children of God. As we sing so often, “From my mother's womb You have chosen me. Love has called my name. I've been born again, into a family, Your blood flows through my veins. I'm no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God!” Isaiah 41: 10, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Protect yourself against this outbreak but at the same time do not let fear consume your life. Corrie ten Boom said, “Worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strength.” It takes the same amount of energy to worry that it does to pray. But remember this, one leads to peace and the other leads to panic. Choose wisely!
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