As I look to the skies everything is so tight and thick. Hope dilapidation with every rising dawn, new contractions, deaths… my mind blinded from the recovery cases. To clear my mind with the once rumored death sentence has been an uphill task, overcoming gravity.
With the prevention being combined efforts between my own hygiene and the next person’s, who seems not to care! This pandemic, Covid-19, has triggered shock-waves into our spines paralyzing us with fear.
Government updates filled with so much goodies of goodwill, all hitting amiss of the bull’s eye problem. In apprehension, directives and measures have been instituted but each seem to attack a particular sect of the recipients.
Having to weigh options between livelihood and contraction, the former taking seniority. Conclusion being they’ll die either way, out of hunger or the pandemic. The government in all efforts to salvage the predicament has been working tirelessly pleading with the masses who seem either not to care or too ignorant to allow the magnitude of this issue to sink in.
Suspension of all learning in the country, public gatherings and recently a curfew are all geared towards safeguarding the safety of citizens while curbing the spread. Some guidelines haven’t been welcomed well, they have met uproar.
With rumors going round that it could be a mishandled biological weapon of the superpowers seeking supremacy. The spiritual claiming it’s maybe a curse. Historians unveiling prophecies prophesied, while another sect proving the accuracy of a pandemic after every century.
For the first time in our living history going to church was suspended as people are being encouraged to stay indoors. This has led to the church formulating various ways and embracing the once discouraged mediums to maintain not only it’s relevance but also ensure continuous growth of its flock.
In this doom, there are so many voices speaking into our lives. The statisticians and media are working tirelessly to outline the figures related to infections, recovery and deaths. The researchers and medics are busy trying to find a cure, vaccine and outlining the possible prevention measures.
In light of all this, what’s the voice of the church?
How should the church respond? The church seems to be dumbfounded not taking particular stand of the happenings. Atheists and other groups are busy ridiculing this faith. In all their doings am filled with pity and praying to God to have mercy on them. I am reminded of the Word in John that He chose me first.
I don’t know if this pandemic is a careless act of humanity and we’re bearing the consequences or whether it is a curse from God calling us to repentance? There has been sharp divisions in the interpretation of the latter in the church.
Some claiming that we’re suffering all these misfortunes (locusts, drought and the pandemic) because of our own grievous sins against God. Quoting the verse in 2nd Chronicles 7:13-14, we should repent and the Lord will heal our land. This group is busy calling people to repentance and turn to God.
Still there’s another section who are convinced that God does not use fear in fact they go ahead to claim that God is not an attention seeker. They’re of the contrary opinion to the former. Their objection being most will turn their ways out of fear and be followers of “fear” rather than God. They go further to say that that outlook looses the credibility and allows the assertion of doubt in the name of “how can a good God allow all this…?” They’re grounded on the fact that He is a God of love and only love can breed true repentance.
Of which outlook and facet is correct I do not know because both have their own truths and weaknesses in equal measures. All I know is that He (God) is in control and sooner or later He’ll see us through this storm.
It’s my clarion call as you’re busy following the preventive measures, at no time should you fall out or grow cold towards this good God out of anger or confusion. As believers it’s our time to stand in prayers, call on the name of the Lord like never before.
We no longer have excuse of swampy activities .With our schedules cleared and movements curtailed, we have more time. If your devotional life doesn’t grow you have no one to blame.
As you go about life remember: personal growth with God is an intentional spending budgeted in planning of your time. It doesn’t just happen, it’s deliberately made to happen.
By Manasseh
