Philippians 4:6-7 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This reading is one of my favorites from all of scripture. I find it particularly meaningful right now, as we all struggle to make sense of and understand our current situation with the coronavirus.  We find there are no easy answers to the myriad of questions that keep swirling in our minds.

How could this happen?  When will it end?  How will it end?  Will I (or my children or grandchildren) still have a job?  Will my family be OK?  When can we go back to Covenant?  There are no quick or easy answers to these questions.  Only God knows how this will play out in time.  So we can choose to constantly fret and worry during this difficult time, or we can choose to trust God completely, for He will provide us His perfect peace, if only we ask Him!

Isaiah 26:3 – The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.

Here is another of my favorite scripture verses.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

This scripture usually comes to mind during our most dire times, whether it is a difficult time for us personally, for a loved one, for our entire family, or in this case for our entire country and the world.  During these times, we cannot see and understand how anything good can come from our current struggle.  Yet oftentimes, we later can clearly see how we may have benefited from something that happened in our lives that seemed so difficult and hurtful at the time. 

Already we are learning that there may be some beneficial treatments available in the short term that can help us through this difficult time until more effective targeted vaccines can be developed – we should each pray to God that these drugs will help those in greatest need!

Already we are learning a lot about the potential for telemedicine where we can interact with professional medical folks without going to a doctor’s office or ER, which can result in more exposure to more serious diseases – we should each pray to God that this effort will lead to improved medical care, especially for the elderly and infirmed!

Already we are learning that it can be good to spend more quality time with family and that it can be good to put down our cell phones and turn off our work computers for awhile.  In the past week, it has been good to see so many families with small children out walking or bike riding together.  May these types of activities continue when this latest crisis is over – we should each pray to God that this will happen and families will be drawn closer together!

Already we are learning that our complete global connectivity opens the world to us, which can be good in many ways, but that it also creates new challenges for us.  We need to become better prepared for dealing with the increased opportunities for evil to come between us and drive us apart from each other in this readily accessible world we live in – we should each pray to God that He will continue to protect us in this more open world in which we live!

You all know me well enough by now that I have a hard time sharing God’s Word without quoting my favorite Christian author Sarah Young.  In her January 7 devotional in Jesus Always, Sarah states “The more often you turn your thoughts to Me, the more you will enjoy My perfect Peace.  This is a challenging goal, but it is also a glorious gift.  I, the Shepherd of your soul, am always accessible to you.”

God is always accessible to you – reach out to Him – NOW!!  ……… AND OFTEN!!!!!  He will hear you and you will hear Him!!!

Let me close by reiterating the need to find and keep a permanent peace in your life and your heart through the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of your surroundings.

John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Let us pray:

Dear Gracious Heavenly Father:

We thank You for Your Word and for showing us Your love, peace, comfort and protection during these difficult times.  We thank You for Your presence with us always, if only we turn our hearts toward You and ask You to come in.  We pray that You will continue to protect and guide the medical professionals who we depend on to treat the many people who will contract the coronavirus.  We pray that You will provide wisdom to our national and global leaders that they may make the best decisions possible in dealing with the global economies and that they will help us return to a more normal world once again.  We pray that You will enter the hearts of more people globally that they may see that You are their hope for the future and for all of eternity.  We pray that all these things will happen according to Your will and in Your timeframe, and that we will have the patience to wait on You in peace.  We ask all these things in the name of Your precious Son, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.