Corona Virus

The numbers worldwide continue to rise: 181,377 cases, 7119 deaths, 78,085 recoveries.[1]  Worldwide reactions are dramatic: airline flights cancelled, large numbers of quarantined populations, countries with closed borders, bans on gatherings over 250 people, schools closed, colleges reverting to online classes, sports leagues cancelled, plummeting stock markets etc. Behold a pandemic!  The cause of this chaos is a virus named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes is called “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).

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Meditation
James 5:14-16--Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord.  The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
 
What should we do when a pandemic hits?  Ruth Viquez, a pastor’s wife in Mesquite, Texas, models the first and most appropriate action—pray!  “Is anyone among you sick?”  Call the elders and pray!  This is a most appropriate time to find our knees and exercise intercession.  A great companion to prayer is fasting. Silas Titus, in New York City, notes, “Fasting is a place of positioning ourselves so that we can learn to ask appropriately in our prayer communication.”
            
Second, Hebrews 10:24,25 instructs us: “. . . be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”  Despite a ban on large gatherings there is no restriction on small healthy groups meeting for fellowship.  Now is the time to humbly study God’s Word, to brainstorm ways to serve alarmed neighbors, coworkers and family with concerned love, and to be mutually encouraged!  
            
Third, in times of crisis, what better opportunity to share the hope that we have in Christ!  COVID-19 threatens life but Jesus always offers salvation.  He is the way, the truth, and the life.  Amidst dark storm clouds of fear and paranoia, proclaim the Light!
            
Fourth, when many people are tempted to hoard in times of calamity we do the opposite.  We give.  “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus . . . God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work” (Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8).  God will honor our not-holding-back spirit!  
            
Fifth, we keep our eyes on Christ not on COVID-19.  Faith focuses on the unseen not the seen.  This disease will pass.  By trusting God we grow spiritually, we model hope and we gain peace that surpasses all thoughts and guards our hearts and minds (Php. 4:7).  
 
Inspiration
The essence of all healing is to become so immersed in the being of God that one forgets himself entirely.—Agnes Sanford in The Healing Light
 
©2020 Daniel York ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)
 


[1] Fox News, March 16, 2020