A few months ago, I met a friend and we began talking about many of our past experiences. I affirmed that it was because of Christ that the outcome of my experiences, both good and bad, were positive. Right at a moment when I could have shared more about Christ and pointed Him out to my friend, our conversation took a turn towards the usual chatter among friends and drifted away from the topic of discussion of Christ. To think of this now, I realize I missed an opportunity to carry out what God intended me to do. I felt like I had let God down at that moment.
Even as I write this, I think of Job from the Bible. When God allowed Satan to bring grief upon Job by taking away all that he held dear on Earth. God Himself vouched for Job’s faith. Job did fulfill this beautiful mission of being a testimony, despite losing everything beloved to him.
In yet another instance, Isaiah who is a prophet in the Bible is called by God, he says, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ “. Isaiah had seen the glory of God and knew with certainty his purpose on earth- to be a reliable messenger for God during his time on earth. During these times when the Corona virus pandemic is affecting all our lives, it makes me wonder if this virus is a tool used to help us keep a check on ourselves. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:32-33: “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”
Are we able to recognize and celebrate God’s compassion in our lives in these difficult times? Are we living as reliable messengers of God’s unfailing love or are we spending our time on futile conversations and judgments that spread anxiety? What are you choosing to point to?
Yes, there is immense grief in many ways and for many people due to the impact of this plague. But what if, through this, people come to know that there is a Savior who offers life that is full and eternal?
The sorrow of physical death is much more bearable than the sting of eternal death – knowing that a loved one is not simply lost now, but lost forever.
As a reliable messenger, our effort should be to continue having faith and belief in the goodness of God – the goodness that saves His children for eternity, the goodness that is unchanging in all circumstances.Like Job may we learn to worship God through it all, while we wait it out.
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