Written by Siya Ndzimande - view his blog here The coronavirus (COVID-19) is disrupting churches, businesses, educational institutions and creating global fear and panic. The world has come to a standstill. So, I ask myself, “Is this global suffering meaningful? Is COVID-19 meant for the glory of God or Satan? If God is sovereign, why would he allow this to happen? If God is love, is this pandemic loving? Maybe God isn’t in full control after all. Maybe he is a reactive God, like an ambulance reacting to emergencies. Or maybe God is just slightly distracted during this time.”
Scripture reminds me that this isn’t anything new. God is in full control; he always was, and he always will be. God was sovereign when he sent the flood, when he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, when he sent the plagues in Egypt (one of the plagues killing all firstborns in Egypt). He was sovereign when Israel faced severe famines, He was sovereign when Jesus was arrested, stripped of his clothing, humiliated and crucified. He was most certainly sovereign when Christians were facing persecution which lead to the horrid deaths of His disciples. Let’s make it personal. He was sovereign when my three-year-old brother died of unknown causes. He was sovereign when my sister’s baby died at just 9 months of life. He was sovereign when my dad died, he was still sovereign when my mom died of breast cancer 11 months after my father passed away. I could go on and on. A.W Tozer put it this way, “While it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who has not surrendered His authority.” Under the rod of affliction we are given an opportunity to bear witness to the gospel’s power in our lives. The Christian’s own perseverance under hardship serves as a shining public witness to the truth of God’s Word. This pandemic opens the door for us to share our hope with unbelievers. When this is all over, people should be looking to God for gratitude and not to humanity or to themselves. I don’t believe this virus (COVID-19) is designed to drive us away from God, but the contrary, it’s designed to draw us closer to God. Interestingly, the things I tend to put before God such as sports have either been cancelled or postponed. Forcing me to distance myself from these idols and put in some much-needed focus on what matters (God). This serves as an occasion for me to ‘be still and know that he is God’ (Psalm 46:10). Lastly, these anxious times can unite us all in prayer. The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, called the public to a national day of prayer yesterday (Thursday, 26 March 2020). This can unite the world in prayer, a key ingredient in spiking a revival. It’s times like these were we should cling to these scriptural promises: 2 Corinthians 4: 16 – 18 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I agree with A.W Tozer when he says that God does his deepest work in our darkest hours, “If you don’t see the hand of God in the smallest setbacks and inconveniences, you will be blind to the meaning that God wants you to find in your deeper sufferings.” – Elisabeth Elliot I will end with one of my favourite quotes, “This is God’s universe, and God does things His way. You may have a better way but you don’t have a universe.” – Vernon McGee
2 Comments
Sharon Alfond
3/28/2020 11:57:56 pm
Thank you for sharing Siya. We have yet to meet. I like your insights and quotes.
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Corrie Eyberg
3/31/2020 11:35:33 am
Wonderful message! Thanks Siya
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