Dealing with COVID-19

Yesterday at breakfast, Mother recalled, as a child, seeing a long line of Benders snaking outside their home on the Betts’ place (the last home of Eloise and Wayne Mitchell). Their concerned neighbors awaited inoculations against a typhoid outbreak. Mother remembered her mother said the strapping men of the community showed reluctance about the needle stick. Grandma, Gladys Rainey Smith, administered the vaccinations free of charge. Ironically, Grandma was a trained nurse who never earned money for using her skill in the community.

In 2020, our nation has no vaccine to combat COVID-19. Yet we have a powerful resource in every home, community and state. In 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, the Lord’s words to King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, are recorded. They are timely for us.

When I shut up heaven…or send pestilence (Merriam-Webster definition – “a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating) among my people, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

         

Another verse encouraging prayer this Sunday and, in the future, as we deal with this novel virus appeared in Franklin Graham’s call for prayer. He took it from Hebrews 4:16:

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

As Americans, we need mercy  which is “not receiving the judgment we deserve from a holy God.” On the heels of mercy, it is essential for us to receive His grace which means God “gives us what, in no way, we deserve – His forgiveness and His righteousness.”

After learning of our denomination’s call for a Day of Prayer for today, Sunday, March 15, 2020, I felt compelled to briefly share the scriptures mentioned above depicting the need and power of praying to an Almighty God who hears.

Finally, on Friday night following the Nation being placed in a state of emergency, I found myself in a depressive-type mood. Even though Mother lived through the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the rationings of World War II and subsequent deaths and wounding of young men around her age, she commented, “I don’t remember a time like this.” 

Knowing I needed to combat my discouragement, after reading the Bible and praying, I moved to the piano. I began playing In Times Like These, We Need a Savior. We then sang the powerful words of How Firm a Foundation. What strength we gained as we sang the words of the fourth verse written as strong encouragement from the heart of a loving Father–

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I will not desert to his foes;

That soul, tho’ all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake!

            May we seek God’s face in prayer, receive daily strength through His scriptures, and have our hearts lifted as we sing songs to Him. There are thousands of songs from a myriad of styles and tempos that can be sung to Him. As you raise your voice, you and those you love will be encouraged.