By sis Esther Mok
Covid-19 has taken away a huge number of innocent human lives within a short period of six to seven months, yet no one knows how long it will last and what other devastating consequences it will continue to bring. This painful reality is indeed hard to bear because human life is precious and every life is a gift from God. Gen 1:27 reads “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
This deadly disease sank the global economy into the deep valley. Factories halted work, and air travel slowed down drastically. With shopping malls and restaurants closed, a busy city has turn into a dead town. People are living in fear and frustration. People who have lost their jobs are panicking. It has now become tough for all to revert to the life before Covid-19. We are all struggling to adapt to a new norm and hope that this pandemic will be over soon.
But as Christians, there's always a silver lining. As we look on the bright side of things, this pandemic has humbled us and reminded us that many things are simply beyond our control. There are also positive impacts we can see around the world when most countries are under lockdown. Air pollution has reduced due to decrease in road traffic, and vulnerable species of marine life have revived due to a halt in tourism. At the individual level, we are now more particular about personal hygiene as well as practising discipline by being compliant to the laws of the land. More importantly, this crisis has rekindled family bonds due to the time spent together during the Circuit Breaker. As Romans 8:28 states “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Man always thinks that he is in control of his life and is constantly making plans for the future. However, little can we imagine that our earthly life and the plans we have made for our future can be threatened and destroyed by a virus too small to be seen by the naked eye. Regardless of our status in life, our lives on this earth are fragile and unpredictable. Therefore, we have to rely on our Heavenly Father in heaven, build our treasures in Heaven and seek Him in all that we do. As Jesus in Matt 6:33 says “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." When we trust and rely on God, He will grant us the peace which surpasses all understanding. As Paul says in 2 Tim 1 :7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Also in Jos 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Indeed, all we need to always remember is that He is in control.
In times of trials and tribulations, we know that God loves us and remembers us, and in turn, we need to comfort one another with the same words - 2 Cor 1:4 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
In short, we need to remember this – God cares about us. No matter what our lives may bring, He will never leave us. God knows and understands what goes on in our lives and is faithful towards us. God's love for us is the reason for the hope that is in us, the hope of a much better life with Him when our lives on this earth are over.
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