By: Dale Weckbacher
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be
dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
(ESV)
While I intended to begin a
series on mentoring future generations with this post, developments this week
have led me to instead post something that brings encouragement and courage
during these chaotic times. This week
has been a roller coaster ride, unlike anything most of us have ever
experienced in our lives. Entire cities
and even states in the United States are functioning under stay at home orders to
slow the progression of the coronavirus.
Citizens living in fear form lines outside of grocery stores to acquire
necessary items like toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and water in large
quantities fearing they will be unable to acquire these items if the country goes
under a national quarantine. The
underlying cause of this fear is fear of the unknown, something Joshua may have
experienced as he looked across the Jordan at the promised land. However, Joshua was one of only two spies
that returned with a good report about the promised land (Numbers
13:30-33; 14:1-12) with Joshua
1:9 serving as a reminder to Joshua to remain strong and courageous as he
begins leading Israel into the Promised Land.
During chaotic times when fear
and panic are rampant, it is important to pause and reflect on the steadfast
love of God toward each of us for God’s love is the foundation of steadfast
faith. Psalm
86 is a prayer of David written during a chaotic time in his life when
insolent and ruthless men sought to kill him (Psalm
86:14). However, instead of wallowing
in the dire circumstances of his situation, David cries out to God because of
his belief in God’s mercy, grace, and steadfast love (Psalm
86:15). David’s prayer offers a
pattern for prayer when one finds themselves in a chaotic crisis such as quarantine
during the coronavirus pandemic. In this
psalm, we see David,
1) Humbly
trust in God (Psalm
86:1-7) – In line with the pattern for prayer Jesus offered in the Lord’s
prayer (Matthew
6:9-13), for David does not begin his prayer by offering a complaint list
but begins with humbling himself before God (Psalm
86:1). David then acknowledges his
trust in God to preserve his life (Psalm
86:2). David’s humble trust in God
comes from a foundation of awareness of the grace of God as a source of joy during
this chaotic time of crisis in his life because God steadfastly loves those
that place their trust in Him (Psalm
86:3-7). It is easy during these
times to immerse ourselves in the news of the day and neglect connection with
God through His Word and prayer. While
it is important to stay informed, it is also important to connect with God as
it demonstrates our humble trust in God to take care of our needs, even during
chaotic times of crisis.
2) Praise
the greatness of God and seek to learn God’s truth (Psalm
86:8-13) – Instead of immersing himself in his dire circumstances, David
immerses himself in praise to God who has done great things in his life (Psalm
86:8-13). For those reading this
that have professed their faith in Jesus as their savior, we can reflect on the
time when we accepted Jesus. We can also
reflect on times in our lives when God provided for a dire need. As we reflect on how God saved us and was
with us during a time of great need, we must remember that God is still great
and able to get us through this time of crisis brought on by the coronavirus.
3) Present
his case before God from a heart trusting in God’s steadfast love (Psalm
86:14-17) – David concludes his prayer with finally presenting his case
before God (Psalm
86:14). However, David does wallow
in his complaint but instead goes back to praising God for his mercy, grace, steadfast
love, and faithfulness (Psalm
86:15). David concludes his prayer by
asking God to turn to him and save him according to His grace, and for a sign that
his enemies can see, putting them to shame.
Lord, You know about the coronavirus and how it is impacting our lives. You are merciful and gracious Lord, abounding
in steadfast love and able to help us defeat this unseen enemy. May we as God’s people trust in you and show
the world the fruits of the spirit (Galatians
5:22-23) and not fear as we go through this crisis.
For anyone reading this that does
not have a personal relationship with God during this crisis, I urge you to
pray with me now and establish one. In Romans
10:9-10, the Bible reminds us that God saves anyone that cries out to the Lord
making a confession of belief in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my
sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe you died, spent
three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord
of my life.
Even though recommendations
against mass gatherings of people mean the locking up of Churches this weekend
and not having regular services, many churches have services online. I urge everyone to connect through one of
these online services to remain connected to God in worship and the teaching of
God’s word. I also urge everyone to
continue giving to their churches because even though services are not
happening, Church expenses have not stopped.
Many churches today offer the ability to give online which is not only
convenient but also means church staff does not need to handle the money. We can all be like Joshua and courageously face
this crisis knowing God is with us (Joshua
1:9). May God grant us peace and may
his face shine of smile on us during this crisis (Numbers
6:24-26).
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