“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah ”
This is a difficult time for everyone. The Corona-virus epidemic has impacted every country. The governments of the world are doing their best to handle the outbreak. Much of the world is in “lock down”, trying to slow the spread of the disease and ease the load on welfare systems such as the NHS. On the one hand, there has been an unprecedented economic slowdown which has impacted a vast number of industries and caused many to lose their jobs or to question their job security. On the other hand, many industries are now placed under increased stress and pressure to deliver their goods and services as fast as possible. In America, many nurses and doctors must work long hours including double shifts to cope with the influx of patients.
This flu-like disease, in just a few months, has brought the world to a standstill. It has highlighted to me that our political and economic systems are very fragile. We often speak metaphorically of how “fleeting” fortune and fame are: This is a real-life example. It’s very sad and it brings into sharp focus just how quickly we can lose everything that is important to us.
“I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. ”
The bible often talks about how quickly things can come and go.
“Time and chance” happen to everyone. Just because we work hard doesn’t mean we are guaranteed success. Just because we have money doesn’t mean that we are guaranteed happiness.
In Ecclesiastes “Under the sun“ refers to our lifetime. During our lifetime, we cannot be sure of anything. As Jesus says, we cannot even control the colour of our hair! One day we might lose it, or go grey and we cannot stop that happening!
But the bible also gives us hope! GOD never changes and he never fails. If we put out trust in him, then no matter what difficulties we face in life, we know that he is there beside us.
No matter what happens, even through the most difficult times of our lives, we can rely on the love of GOD. nothing can separate us from his love. When we trust in GOD, we can actually be joyful in difficult times, because we know that GOD is working with us. He is building a loving relationship with us and trying to make us better people.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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. ”
When we trust in the love of GOD, this also gives us an everlasting hope for the future. GOD has planned that Jesus Christ will return again to the earth and set up a perfect government, where there will be no disease or suffering.
We pray that Jesus will come soon and finish all the uncertainty, pain and suffering that we face each day.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.