NOTE: A few readers yesterday noticed that the youtube video I linked in the post yesterday had stopped working. The channel has since reuploaded a new video of the same sermon, so please find that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOBzKyZkbvw
March 17, 2020 – Click here to listen
I have been amazed to see the media stop bashing Trump 24/7. Prior to Coronavirus it was non-stop, but lately only moderate amounts of criticism from a few who lamely claim he isn’t doing enough. It would otherwise be a welcome relief, but the virus news is disheartening.
Our country has been blessed with freedom to move about and essentially do whatever we want when we want. We have been blessed as a nation as none other before it since the beginning of time. We are essentially a gregarious nation but now are being told to become antisocial for the good of all. For the first time in our lifetime the shelves do not contain all the items we want at the grocery stores, churches are shutting their doors, we are urged to just stay home. One of my sons asked me if I was still working out at the gym. He knows how self-disciplined I am about going; however I couldn’t go even if I wanted to defy the social distancing rules, because the gym has voluntarily closed their doors.
One of my sons cannot sit still and he has to be surrounded by people and doing something all of the time. Sitting quietly and reading a book would be torture to him. How will he cope when living in virus isolation? He will have to adapt and eventually learn to accept whatever the situation may be just like the rest of us.
Americans are going to be inconvenienced for a while and we really don’t know how to react to all of this. I sometimes go to the Bahamas to go fishing. I have to bring all of my food because the stores there are all but devoid of food with maybe a dozen items on the shelves. An entire island may have one gas station and if they run out, it might be a week before a tanker arrives with more. I have been stuck over there in my boat awaiting fuel because I could not make it home without refueling. It got very boring very quick because without fuel I couldn’t fish either. I found that I adapted and went snorkeling and walked the beaches casting to bonefish. The locals were happy because I was spending money on food and lodging, but then I and others who were stranded finally left and the financial windfall went with us. And then the hurricane came and destroyed what little they owned. My heart goes out to these friendly people who are trying to survive. Even with the precautions in place our country is faring better than most anywhere in the world.
This morning I have to get imaging work done. It requires fasting and I’m so hungry I could eat my computer mouse, but I know that to take this test requires fasting. Doing without just goes against our nature. Perhaps that is why we are told that fasting is good and enhances our prayer life. It goes against our nature.
Since I’m fasting, it provides a terrific opportunity to pray that this virus madness will come to an end and also ask God to draw near those affected by it. I am concerned about those who don’t have a home, what are they doing? What about all our service workers? They will lose their income and I haven’t heard how they might make it up. I wonder what will become of them? I pray daily for those families around the world who have lost their loved ones to the virus. I can envision them grieving and making funeral arrangements while we lament not going to a concert or ball game. I pray for those workers in grocery stores, delivery drivers, doctors and nurses and others who cannot perform social distancing. I pray for those who rely on the stock market for their retirement income. How will they live on social security alone? I pray that those individuals that need our Savior will watch church services on television and receive salvation.
I’m praying much of the day and asking our Father to end these times and to heal our nation and indeed this world. Fasting and our prayers will not go unheard by our Father. We must focus on Him to help us weather this storm. Perhaps that is the point of it all . . .
Joshua 1:9
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.