Elder’s Corner: Is This It?

 

I've heard that question asked several times in the last six months. It is usually followed by more questions.  Do you think this (the COVID pandemic) is God's punishment for an unrepentant society? Do you think this is the end? Is God using this disease to get people's attention?  The answer is…I don’t know. Let me share some scriptures for you to ponder: Deuteronomy 28:1 – 6 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”

God gave this promise of blessings to the Israelites if they would obey Him.

In verse 15 and following of the same chapter we can find this promise “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.”

This and many other instances in the Bible indicate that our choices sometimes lead to calamity. I know that one entity is extremely happy that the pandemic has disrupted church functions (attendance is down, offerings are suffering, picnics have been canceled, brothers and sisters are fighting about wearing masks, where, or if services should be held). That person that is laughing and happy to cause such division is the devil.

So what should our response be? “Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too. After you have suffered a little while, our God, who is full of kindness through Christ, will give you His eternal glory. He personally will come and pick you up, and set you firmly in place, and make you stronger than ever” (1 Peter 5:8-10 TLB).

—Alan