This year of 2020 started with greatness. Our nation was strong, and our economy was good; then suddenly, we were mesmerized with a pandemic called Covid-19.
The virus has spread throughout the world and has driven our country to its knees. The people of this nation and of the world, are panic-stricken. Many policies are put in place to try and curb the spread of the disease. Many companies and businesses are closed, and employees have lost their jobs with little hope of returning to work immediately. People are scared and seem uncertain about the future.
The government steps up with financial packages to aid the suffering. Our elected leaders started playing a game of political ping pong while some people were in dire straits and hurting. As sinful as this world is, many of the population were depending on man to straighten this problem out, but Christians knew it would be up to God to see us through.
Churches were told they could not meet in large group settings and were limited to ten or less for a few weeks. Live streaming was available through the internet and the local radio carried the services.
I believe that more people tuned in to these type services more so than they would have going to a building to worship the Lord. The ones that attended church services regularly missed the interaction with other Christians but overcame the delay by patiently waiting and praying that our Almighty God would eliminate the virus. Many non-Christians and people of the world were reached through the air waves because the government and man had shut down most of everyone’s everyday life.
In a way the virus became reminiscent of the Protestant Reformation started by Martin Luther in 1517. Luther broke away from the Roman Catholic Church with many stormy disputes with the Pope and church leaders. His movement was to bring congregational singing inside the church. He said that sacred music is a gift and grace of God. He wrote many songs but the most powerful hymn he wrote was ‘A Mighty Fortress is our God,’ based on Psalm 46. Verse 10 of this great Psalm says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Over the years this song has been sung by many. Armies have sung it when going into battle, people in need have sung it during their desperate times knowing that God is our fortress to hide us and protect us, because His Word endures forever and will fight for us.
I have copied the first lines of verses one and three and these are words that should never leave us. These words should always be on our lips because God is our Rock and our Salvation.
1. A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
2. And through this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us.
As we went through these times of COVID-19 our nation and world were turned upside down by this dreadful disease. People ran from it and our leaders did not know exactly how to handle it until we turned our attention back to God and allowed Him to lead us through it. Just as Luther and his understudies went through the reformation of years ago, we will look back on this horrific disease and understand that God is in charge and will see us through any of our problems if we listen to Him.
I feel that many people came to know God personally in their lives because of the uncertainty that the world was throwing at us. With Jesus as your Rock and Deliverer nothing can ever take you down because this earth is not your home. Eternal life with Him is His promise to us if we ask Him to forgive us our many sins and cling to Him.
