All the Earth, not part of the Earth. All of mankind, not a select few. During this pandemic, we have an opportunity to ALL bow to our God and see what He has done, what He has provided and praise Him, in ALL things. This is such an unusual time, what an understatement in the midst of a pandemic.
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”5 Come and see what God has done,
~ Psalm 66:1-5 NIV
his awesome deeds for mankind!
All The Earth
The pandemic draws us together as one people and each one of us is part of All The Earth at this given moment experiencing the same virus.
I wonder how Noah and his family felt when All The Earth, all of mankind was affected at one given time. They were spared but they certainly must have felt the awe of the situation. I would bet, much more so than we are feeling it today.
Although this pandemic is a first, it sort of isn’t. It certainly has piqued my curiosity about Noah and his family and how they experienced the global flood.
There is something about an event touching every human life on the entire planet that shifts perspective.
My prayer is that it shifts more focus on God. It shifts the controlling to be still and watch God’s control. It shifts the lost to seek, the lonely to find comfort in the Living King. I pray that more people find eternal hope that is available as this event creates a new perspective, new priorities and new hearts.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
~ Romans 8:28 NIV
In ALL Things
We have heard that scripture so many times that we may become numb to it. It actually says ALL and God actually means ALL things, even a pandemic.
Nope, the sky is not falling. God is still in control of ALL things.
He did not wake up a few weeks ago and say, dang, the coronavirus needs attention and so do my people. This was not a surprise to Him. He has long known about this event and He has long made plans for us individually, with love and care and the power to see it through.
So where is the fear, the hysteria, the panic coming from?
I have a very unfair advantage during this pandemic. I have spent almost 7 years in intense chronic illness which turned my entire world upside down and inside out. I already know isolation, loneliness and have faced my demons. I just am not riled up by a pandemic because I recently have had a boatload of practicing peace and calm based on fatih.
For those who are chronically ill, think about that. How is the pandemic really much different? Yes, it sort of is but the virus is just another obstacle in life, just like illness. It is only one little aspect of ALL things.
Anyone living on planet Earth has experienced heartache, physical or emotional pain, letdown, breakups, loss, financial destruction, tornados, earthquakes, etc etc etc. This is part of ALL things.
God has this. This is His battle and He has and He will take care of it and take care of us, according to His will.
Why wouldn’t that be enough to stay calm through a pandemic? Because we are human beings with emotions. I get it and I too have my own moments of frustrations and a hint of fear sneak in from time to time, no doubt. Yet, I also see how it is useless thinking, God really does have this.
So why am I rambling about it? Probably because of my own insecurities and the mass hysteria that I am hearing from others. God has ALL things, He uses ALL things, for His purpose, not ours.
When I say that out loud, it calms my spirit. No matter how this turns out, I love Jesus with all my heart and in the scheme of eternity, nothing else matters.
I am here on Earth at this exact given moment so I will display my faith, not fear. My Maker gave me a brain to use common sense during a pandemic and I will use it. He gave me two feet and two hands to keep working and being productive during a pandemic, and so I shall. He gave me a peaceful heart and soul during global chaos, and I hope to be able to share it with others.
May ALL of you, ALL over the planet, find peace in Jesus, He is our ALL,
Maribeth Baxter