2020 has just begun, yet most people are already tired from the events that befell our beloved nation and other countries – a catastrophic volcanic eruption, a war between countries, bush fires, death of a beloved sports icon, and now, the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019-nCov is identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in December. Last January 30, the Philippines confirmed its first case – a 38-year-old woman who traveled to our country from Wuhan.
Panic and fear became very evident as the news broke.
Amidst this adversity, what can you do?
As medical professionals and governments do their best to stop the virus from spreading, here are ways on how you can respond:
1. Turn to Jesus. Focus on Him and put your trust in Him.
The noise of this world can sometimes be deafening. The anxiety this virus brings can be blinding. But, you can always trust Jesus Christ. He can give you peace and healing. Turn to Him and away from the ways of the world.
He made it clear in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Seek His forgiveness and allow Him to cover you and change you. Then, be in faith that all things, including the seemingly devastating ones, will work together for good. Isn’t it comforting to know that what the enemy meant for harm, God can still turn into good?
2. Pray unceasingly.
Just as you are advised to proactively protect yourself from the virus, also ought to not stop praying during this time.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages people to “pray without ceasing.” Nowadays, it’s so easy to get distracted by fear and disunity, or by arguments and blame games flooding your social media. Now is the best time to pause and ask God to give you a praying heart.
Pray for protection and peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Pray and believe that the Lord will heal the infected people and will comfort those who are in fear. Ask for wisdom for the nations’ leaders as they make huge decisions. Pray for the health workers as they courageously and selflessly risk their lives to serve others. Pray that God will bless every human with a compassionate and understanding heart.
In this battle against the world’s dark forces, let prayers be your first defense.
3. Reach out – with love.
When Jesus healed a man with leprosy, He modeled compassion. Ask God to give you the same heart that beats for the afflicted. Your compassion could show that afflictions, such as coronavirus, won’t destroy mankind but establish it.
Likewise, challenging times like these could easily make people hopeless, troubled, and divided. Still, God is so gracious for choosing you, His child, to be the salt and light of this world. (Matthews 5:13-14)
Knowing that you’re called for a greater purpose, don’t let fear and judgment cloud you. This adversity could be your opportunity to share Jesus and His saving power. Let your light shine so others may experience the kind of peace only God can bring. (keithmcquirter.com)
As January bids goodbye, the challenge continues. Continue to believe, pray and reach out to share the love and mercy of God!
Do you need someone to pray for you? Take a moment now to call the CBN Asia Prayer Center at 8737-0700 and we would love to lift up your concerns to God.
