“For you have been my hope, sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth” - Psalm 71:5 (NIV)
As news of the corona pandemic started spreading there was a noticeable human behaviour world over. Panic buying. In quick succession shelves were wiped in many supermarkets of essentials, especially, for some reason, toilet paper! Then others not content started also queuing up for guns, just in case.
There have been certainly good reasons for some of those who have bought good in mass. Like to protect one’s family from starvation caused by a prolonged lockdown, just in case. However, some have only been motivated by greed and lack of regard for one’s neighbour. There have been numerous cases of individuals who strip shops of all essentials completely unmindful of the next buyer.
Panic buying and hoarding has revealed two major things. First, where the hope of many people is. Because they have no faith that God is watching over them then their refuge is to amass trolleys of goods. The challenge here is what happens when they all finish up! Where do you look up to then?
And then there is fear. This fear has also been driven because people have no hope in a protector watching out for them. Hence they think by turning their homes into warehouses of goods they will be safe.
But there is a sovereign God who is watching over His people, ever, in good and bad times. When seized with fear just remember, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray in the mighty name of Jesus amen of Nazareth, that in times as these of a pandemic I never look elsewhere but put all my trust in you!
Related upcoming events
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
