Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
The rough course of novel pandemic, lockdowns, infections and great loss of life has brought a tearful standstill to the world. Like terrified passengers, we wait for a sunshine after heavy turbulence or an air pocket. Triggering rifles can be withheld but the deadly pandemic is beyond human ability. With awe, the world ponders over the mysterious cause of the spread of the plague with different theories. Nations began hectic preparatory movement, resolved emergency measures like lockdown, isolation, distancing and medic measures. As a desperate emotion, nations even began to blame each other forgetting the need of compassion and love.
Every one contemplates a thought over the deadly plague with pertaining questions like ‘Why medical researchers and scientists delay or are unable to bring out an antiviral devise? Why advanced nations fail to combat and contain the pandemic? Why medical technology fails to eradicate this virus? Why and where are the gods of different religions hiding? And why God, the Creator, is delaying answering the prayers of His children while we are on edge’?
Panic sentiment from high magnitude of pandemic that everyone going through is the common pain of the global family. The impact is without choice of nations, locations and religions. It is a universal lesson for the human world to learn to love and support each other, and prepare to continue human journey.
1. Unconcluded cause of pandemic
There can be many speculations to this query. But the Bible gives us a simple answer. The intention of God was not to destroy the world. Creation began on moral and spiritual foundation. But the world began to invite God’s judgment by disobedience, lawlessness, perversion, and corruptions. Different forms such as flood, dispersion, fire, captivity and plagues were used to wipe out early civilizations. It will not be a surprise if God wants to employ a new cleansing form to correct human world. God expects decency. But we challenge God. Think of abominable moral degradation of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender). The world has polytheistic and relativistic tolerance against the absolute Truth. We sin against our planet by turning to idolatry, false deities, and human ego. It is mathematical when God said that sin and righteousness cannot go together (2Cor 6:14-18). It is a time for people to ponder over this invisible war and return to God and seek His healing.
2. Pride cannot go unpunished
The world is at its peak of pride of humanism, capability of knowledge, science and technology (including robotic tech). Nations challenge each other with race of nuclear weapons, superiority, and threats and warnings against each other. Nations forget God. Bible is sidelined and replaced in schools and society in many nations with perverted ideology. Human supremacy is taking the place of God. But God is the same God who created the world in the beginning. This pandemic is an icon of the world’s fragility and helplessness without God. It is a wake up bell for the world to humble down before God (Psalms 33:12), repent from sin of pride (Prov 16:18) and return to God for healing.
3. Unknowable Sovereignty of God
Different religions perform ritual and symbolic gestures, Christians pray, medics work hard to evade the spread of virus. We all feel ‘why’ when no difference is seen. It is like the turbulent day with Jonah in the ship. It is also like the stormy day with Jesus in ship. The Word of God in the Bible declares that the way God thinks is different from the way humans think and expect (Isaiah 55:8,9). His plans are greater and higher. His word .humbles us down to His sovereignty and wait for what He has for us (2Chron 20:12;Psalms 27:14).
4. ‘Holier than Thou’
God is holy and pure (Is 65:5). But ‘holier than thou’ has become arrogantly the attitude of religions including Christians and churches. We are impulsive and want to see our prayers are answered forthwith. But God may be waiting for us to unite first selflessly. In which way are Christians better when we are subjective, hypocritical, territorial, competitive, mechanical, and denominational? God will answer the prayer of the believers and not Christianity. In a trying time such as this, God wants us to be accommodative, compassionate and global in exercise of our faith and prayer. We have tendency to say “God protects Nagaland because we are Christians”. Our neighbors and people of the world may not be Christians as we are. But the Bible tells us to be like the Good Samaritan and weep with those who weep as neighbors.
5. Healing of God
Healing is preceded by a systematic process of submission to God in humility, confession of sin and wickedness in repentance, and forgiveness from God (2Chron 7:14). When God said ‘my people’, it is inclusively nations of the world as children of one father and one mother in the beginning. In history, whichever nation dedicated its land to false gods and deities, and idolatry inherited catastrophic devastations like earthquake, captivity and natural calamities. God is the Architect and Owner of the world. People must return to the true God from false faith and deviation for Him to forgive us with healing. Forgiveness and healing go together. It is 100% loyalty to God. We will see His superpower as we submit to His sovereignty in humility. Jehovah Rapha knows His children.
6. Imminent End time?
Human helplessness is the proof of God’s sovereign power. Human brains are limited to act like God. The visit of God is due when religions, science and human ability fail. Global anguish and perplexity with COVID-19 outbreak may be a sign of end time as we talk about apocalyptic dooms day (Luke 21:25,26). Our days are painfully in unimaginable condition across the world. The days of the world are numbered. The need is preparedness to meet God.
As we continue to sail through the rough course, God invites us to come and reason together with Him (Isaiah 1:18) towards a new future. As clay is in His hand, He has authority to create a new future or a new order. God is at work for re-peopling. God bless you!
