Dennis Edwards
Yesterday I received a e-mail from a friend of mine in Jordan. She runs an NGO which helps with the refugees and poor and needy in that country. Jordan is basically a country of refugees. There are Palestinian refugees, Syrian refugees, refugees from the Iraq war. My friend is usually very busy during the year helping to supply the needs of the poor in that country. But suddenly, because of Corona Virus, everything has stopped. The whole country is in quarantine. Those living in a city must stay in the city. Those living in a village must stay in the village. The police and military are monitoring people’s movements. One is only allowed out to buy essential needs like food or medicines.
Maybe you are experiencing the same scenario. Yesterday in Portugal the government enacted the State of Emergency. It is the first time that a State of Emergency has been called not during a period of war. And yet a war is taking place: a war against the corona virus, and perhaps a financial or economic war between the economic and political systems of the world. Bill Gates in his Ted Talk back in 2016 predicted that the next global catastrophe would be an uncontrollable virus. And now we are told we can’t go out except for those essential needs. What is going on here? Won’t stopping the economy lead to the final collapse of the present day financial system and the ushering in of a new one?
My friend in her e-mail asked the question, “What’s happening?” Her conclusion was that she felt like she was experiencing the calm before the storm of a hurricane. Everything has stopped. The running to and fro has stopped. The frantic fight for more has stopped. We are all forced to sit at home and reflect on what’s happening and why. Yes, we want to prevent sickness from spreading. Yes, we are willing to do what it takes to save lives and people’s health. Yet, we wonder what happens if this takes longer than is forecast? What happens if the essential food supplies go short? What happens if we can’t pay our bills or run out of money? Where is all this leading to? Will the banks close and we’ll lose all our savings? Will the bank repossess our homes because we can’t keep up on the payments? Will the government really help us? Or will it end in world wide confusion and war?
The best place to look for guidance at times like these is in God’s word. God’s word promises to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our way. God’s word promises to give us understanding. God’s word promises to give us peace of mind and heart. Therefore, spending time in God’s word needs to be a priority for each and every one of us.
In Psalm 46 we read,
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”[Psalm 46:1]
So here we see God promises to be present with us in our times of trouble. He promises to be very present. Not vaguely present, but truly present with us, leading, guiding, and comforting us. The psalm continues,
“Therefore will not we fear,”[Psalm 46:2]
Again God’s word tells us some 365 plus times to not fear. We should not be panicking like others because God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.[2 Timothy 1:7] The Apostle John tells us that “fear has torment,” but if we walk in love, we won’t have fear.[I John 4:18] Winston Churchill said during WWII that there was only one thing to fear and that was fear itself. Why? Because fear incapacitates us. Fear is the opposite of faith and love, and faith and love have the power to cast out fear. There is only one thing we should fear, and that is God Himself. Jesus reminded His disciples,
“Fear not them which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who can cast both soul and body into hell.”[Matthew 10:28]
God is whom we should fear, not man, not the Corona Virus, not the fragile economic situation, not the Chinese, not the Russians, etc. Solomon so rightly wrote,
“Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.”[Ecclesiastes 12:13]
In the Proverbs he said similarly,
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”[Proverbs 1:7]
In other words, if we want to be smart, if we want to really understand what is happening in the world, the beginning point of understanding and knowledge is to have the fear of the Lord. If we have a healthy fear of the Lord, we won’t be afraid of anything else because we know that we are in His hands. Therefore, we will not fear...
“though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”[Psalm 46:2-3]
The imagery used by the prophet is one of an earthquake and or tsunami. Figuratively, mountains often signify kingdoms in the scriptures. So here we see the kingdoms being carried into the sea which roars and is troubled. The seas sometimes symbolize peoples, people who are roaring and troubled can rise up and overthrow their existing leaders or governments or kings like in the French Revolution, a time of great confusion or tribulation.
In the words of Jesus as ascribed by Luke we read,
“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring: men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of the heaven shall be shaken.”[Luke 21:25-26]
Apostle Paul wrote,
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”[2 Timothy 3:1]
Is this the fear we sense, that the great day of His wrath is at hand? As children when we did something wrong we had that guilty feeling knowing somehow we would get caught. Are our hearts failing us for fear because we suspect that the world deserves a judgment, or chastisement? As the Bible says,
“A fearful looking for of judgment.”[Hebrews 10:27]
But back in Psalm 46 the prophet assures us,
“There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”[Psalm 46:4]
That’s the same river we see Apostle John describe when heaven is finally on earth. John writes,
“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life. clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Jesus).”[Revelation 22:1]
The psalmist continues,
“God is in the midst of her (the city of God which consists of God’s people); she shall not be moved; God shall help her, and that right early.”[Psalm 46:5]
Again we see that God is going to help His people “and that right early.”
“The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved,”[Psalm 46:6]
No matter what the Corona Virus brings to our health, or to the economy, what deaths she brings to us or our loved ones, or what economic crisis loams ahead of us; God is ultimately in control and promises to bring good out of all that happens to us if we continue to love and trust Him.
“He uttered His voice, the earth melted.”[Psalm 46:6]
If there’s going to be global warming it’s because God has allowed it. But God’s word informs us that that the complete melting or burning of the surface of the earth does not take place now, though it will take place in the distant future.
“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”[Psalm 46:7]
God is a refuge for the oppressed, for the poor, for the downtrodden, for His people, therefore will we not fear but trust in His capacity to hear our prayers and answer and save us.
“Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he has made in the earth. He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and cuts the spear asunder; he burns the chariot in the fire.”[Psalm 46:8-9]
One day God is going to stop all the wars, even the biological virus wars and all the world will know that God is God.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”[Psalm 46:10]
Are we using this time to get quiet with God and hear from Him? Are we stopping our own activity sufficiently to let Him talk to us? God wants to talk to us. God wants to be exalted in our lives. God wants our lives to exalt Him. He wants our lives to be a testimony for Him. God wants us to shine his love and light of truth into the darkness of hate and greed and selfishness of this world. And we can do it because,
“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”[Psalm 46:11]
Please let us pray that we, his children, can be a help and an encouragement, and even a refuge for those in trouble and in need like many may feel today in the uncertainty of tomorrow. Jesus has told us to take no anxious thought for tomorrow for sufficient are the problems that we have to face today.[Matthew 6:34] He has also promised to be with us to the end of the world.[Matthew 28:20]
And He has promised to give us the gift of peace. God’s word says that those that love God’s word will find great peace, peace of mind and peace of heart even in times of trouble. Why? Because we know we are in His hands.
Jesus said,
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”[John 14:27]
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”[John 16:33]
Even if there is trouble and confusion all around us, we can have peace that passes all understanding because our minds are stayed on Him and we are holding onto His dear promises.[Philippians 4:7] We can be more than overcomers because we known whom we have believed and we are persuaded that He is able to keep that which He has promised to us for He has said,
“I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”[Hebrews 13:5]
My friend, take time to be still and know that God is God. He will eventually be exalted above all our other gods and all the world will know and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Will you? Call upon Him today, He’s only a prayer away!
