With all that is going on in the world and all of this panic and fear can be quite overwhelming. Yet I do not fear and am not panic about what tomorrow brings because I have Jesus Christ as my savior. That does not mean I do not have worries or doubts at times because I do. Yes, indeed we should head the leaders of this country in this time of pandemic and limit what we do or go so everyone stays safe but we should not live in fear or panic either. There has to be balance in life. However, I still remember and reflect on God’s saving grace that this world is only temporary and changes come and go. False news is reported over the facts being told because that is a more juicy story to tell. But those false stories have holes in them and will not hold up to the truth. During this pandemic I have this peace in Christ that does not make me fear the unknowns that are not yet revealed or illuminated yet. The point is we are faced during this time to either be smart and trust God’s truth or panic with world and believe lies, and false news reported at times. We have to discern what is truth when we check the news for facts and what is lies. Also we are faced with do we remember God’s faithfulness in this time by remembering what he has done in the past, and present. Do we shut down our faith along with the world shutting everything else down or do we hold fast to God? Will fears shatter and overshadow the truth, or will God’s truth expose the darkness of those fears? In Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah the prophet writes a letter to the exiles and tells me that if they call upon the Lord he will answer them and come to their rescue. “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me, with all your heart, I will be found by you declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”(Jeremiah 29:13-14ESV). Thus, in applying these verses in this time we need to lean into God, press in and seek him, pray to him, and remember his faithfulness. We must call upon the Lord and seek him with all of our hearts and he will answer us. I wonder at times if when we do pray to God if we are afraid he will answer us rather then be disappointed he didn’t answer us. For example a few years back after graduating college it took time a long time to find a job. It did not happen instantly like it does for some people who are lucky in this day and age. I had to be persistent in trusting that God would provide that job so that I could have an income. Was it the job I was expecting or thought I would end up, no it wasn’t but I ended up loving it and enjoying it. Yet the most important thing is it is right where God wants me now and I am happy to be in this place. Is it always fun or enjoyable, no at times there is a struggle good things don’t come easy. The thing that stands out is God is faithful and trustworthy because he provided a job for me that I diligently prayed for, for years. The point is I did not give up faith in him or what he can or could do. I remained steadfast in what he’s spoken and his truth. I did not panic or give into fear or the lies of the enemy. I remembered God. God is also a God who hears he does not turn a deaf ear on his children but leans into to hear their every need, and concern because he loves them. So even when things change or if he needs to move us because we are too comfortable somewhere doing something mundane. Or if he needs to make room in our lives for something better he will move us to where he wants us to be. But he never turns his back on us and he never turns his ears away from his children. He is a God who answers even if it looks like delays to us he is moving behind the scenes putting things into motion we cannot see. We just have to remain him, remember he is faithful and seek him with our entire hearts. Remember God’s truth lights the way and removes the shadows around us, so that we can be a city on a hill bringing the good news to others.
Reference English Standard Version Study Bible (2008) Crossway Publishing, Wheaton ILL,
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