HOPE IN THE SHADOW OF COVID-19

Since the beginning of creation, the world has experienced series of emergence of deadly viral infections and diseases that has killed lots of human population across the globe.

Virus like we all know, is the smallest and deadly microscopic organisms that cause illnesses.

Here is the list of various diseases that are caused by virus, the year it evolved and the number of people it killed.

*2. Black death (1347)* : evolved from rats and killed 200 million people in 3 years. This wiped out 40% of Europe’s population. It took Europe more than 2 centuries to return its population figures to pre Black death levels.

*3. Spanish flu (1917)*: came from Northern China and killed 50 million people in 1 year.

*4. Plague of Justinian (541)*: came from rats that haboured fleas, killed 50 million people in 1 year, attacked the Roman City of Istanbul in Turkey and hastened the fall of the Roman empire then significantly weakend the catholic church.

*5. HIV aids (1981)*: evolved from Chimpanzees in west africa, attacked humans and killed 35 million people over a 40 year period so far.

*6. Swine flu (2009)*: evolved from pigs in Mexico and killed 200 thousand people in 1 year.

*7. Ebola (1976)*: evolved from bats in Congo near river Ebola and killed 12 thousand people in 2 years

*8. MERS (2015)*: killed 850 people so far.

*9. SARS (2002)*: evolved from bats into cats and into humans in Guangdong China, killed 770 people in 1 year.

*10. Covid-19*: evolved from animals in Wuhan China, killed over 50, 000 people in 4 months so far

So, we can see that there have been deadly diseases before COVID -19 and the world did not end. Yes, these diseases constitute to the signs of the end times but we can’t explicitly say that the world will end with COVID 19. One Kenyan Prophet has even mentioned April 12, 2020 as the day when the world will end. This is misleading. The Bible is clear that, no one knows the day or hour for the return of the son of man, not even the son Himself but only the father in Heaven *(Matthew 24:36).* So, don’t listen to the voice of the false prophets but look up to God where our hope and salvation lies.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not trying to discourage people from getting prepared for the second coming of Jesus but just being realistic about the situation at hand. These are not the days to trust in man but God. As you notice above, on the list of deadly diseases, I’ve not put number 1, because number one killer disease to my understanding, has been sin. *So, Sin is number 1* killer disease. It has killed billions of people both the body and the soul. This is what we should fear most. As I preached in Church on 5th April 2020, I challenged the members that as they wash their hands with soap frequently to kill viruses, they should remember to wash their sin away from their heart with the blood of Jesus, as they keep distance from their friends to prevent contracting COVID-19, they should keep distance from Satan who can contaminate them with sin that brings eternal damination, as they cover their mouth with mask, they should cover their heart with the word of God that gives hope and as they wear gloves in their hands to fight this disease, they should also carry the Bible in their hands to preach the message of hope to the world, the Hope that only Jesus gives.

Remember that Amidst COVID 19 the Bible in *2 Chronicles 7:13-14* still gives hope and State as follows:

13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people,

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

You note that verse 13 of 2 Chronicles is not good news but good news comes on verse 14 as people realise that they cannot do away with calamities mentioned in verse 13 by human wisdom or science.

In these trying days God expects us as the Church to do the following depicted from verse 14:

1. Humble ourselves
2. Pray
3. Seek the face of the Lord
4. Turn away from astray

On the same verse in response, the Lord our God has promised to do the following;

1. Hear our prayers from heaven
2. Forgive us of our sins, sin of the world
3. Heal our land, thus taking way our sorrows such as diseases like COVID-19.

These are not the days for the Church to wait for scientists to bring solution to this problem but to look up to God in prayer and this disease that has brought panic in the world will be gone to where it came from before we know it. The Church should not even try to lose hope because if it does, then there is nothing remaining for the world.

Even when the Church is affected in it’s usual gatherings, the Spiritual Church should thrive. Let’s pray in our homes, crying to God in faith. Faith can move mountains. Remember, by the stripes of the Lord Jesus, you, I and the whole world are healed.

As I finish let me remind you of this verse,

*Psalm 121:1*
I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

So, we have hope in the Lord. One may ask, *”Where is God when the world is facing this deadly pandemic”?* Well, my answer is that the Lord is still on the throne reigning and COVID-19 cannot change that. In all this, the Lord still is Glorified even though others may lose hope and be absurd unto God.

May God Bless you as you pray, asking God to heal the world and our hearts.