“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to
the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If
that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning
fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let
it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship
the gold image which you have set up.”" —Daniel 3:16-18
I see so much encouragement to the Saints on social media in
the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The
threat of contracting it has affected everyone. It has disrupted “normal living”.
Struck fear in the hearts of the vulnerable, whether that vulnerability is age,
health or wealth. What many thought was
inevitable – a sure thing – has been snatched from their hands. It is like we
are facing the fiery furnace – about to be tossed in and there is nothing we
can do about it. Well – maybe buy more toilet paper! (sorry could not resist)
But a word about that – emotion and logic coexist and are not connected to each
other. When you see a fear response in
people – like hording – that is emotion. It is easy to be critical when logic
rules in you, but what is needed is compassion and understanding.
I used the story of the fiery furnace because those three
guys were tossed into the furnace. They did not avoid it. The Bible does not say they did not feel the
heat – it says their clothes were not singed and they escaped death. I am not
saying that Christians will be spared from the COVID furnace – not will some
not lose their mortal lives because of it. As I have said in the past – God says
all will die a natural death – but He does not say how we will die, where we
will die or when we will die – He does not say that we will not get sick – that
we will not have to endure financial loss. He does say that our hope must be in
heaven and not in this mortal existence.
Those people buying the toilet paper and other things – who feel that
their lives are out of their control – all of our lives are out of our control –
need to be encouraged to look to God. With respect to the love of God – the shelves will
never be empty.
“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of
God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked
Him, and He would have given you living water.’” – John 4:10
The Love of God, Frederick M. Lehman
The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can
ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son
to win;
His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.
Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and
strong!
It shall forevermore endure— The saints’ and angels’ song.
When hoary time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and
kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and
mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless
and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of
parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by
trade;
To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.
Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and
strong!
It shall forevermore endure— The saints’ and angels’ song.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For
His Glory Alone
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