Pastor's Ponderings, August 26, 2021

God Wants Us To Ask Him About COVID-19

Jane Greenhalgh wrote the article in the July 21, 2021 NPR, entitled, “The Coronavirus Crisis, U.S. Life Expectancy Fell By 1.5 Years In 2020, The Biggest Drop Since WWII.”  The article went on to indicate that African Americans and U.S. Hispanics life expectancy declined about three years all due to COVID-19.

 

Truly the world faces a dilemma.  Do we listen to our scientists who say we should follow scientific evidence and get a vaccine to lessen the effects of COVID-19?  We may also reasonably decide that we know better than these learned individuals and take the information for saving our lives from the internet, friends, or conspiracy theorists.  Another option is that we should pray for God’s wisdom for receiving the vaccine.  

 

There were similar dilemmas in the Bible.  In the book of Kings, a worshipper of Baal, Jezebel, had married the King of Israel, Ahab.  She influenced him and many in the nation to worship Baal rather than God.  As a result, the land suffered a drought. The local prophet, Elijah, challenged the people concerning their choice of who to worship, God or Baal.  He asked, “If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21.)

 

Joshua, the leader of the Israelites also asked a similar question concerning their choice of worship, God or their former gods in Egypt.  He commanded, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15).  He chose to follow God.

 

Today we can ask God should we get vaccinated, should we wear masks and social distance, or should we just take our chances and see how things work out.  If we ask God, He promised that He would give us His wisdom (James 1:5-7).  The Bible says that He hears us when we ask according to His will and that we would receive the answer that we are looking for (1 John 5:14-15).  Let us ask God and the Almighty God of the universes promises that He will answer.  Let us ask Him today.

 

1 Kings 18:21

New International Version

21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

 

Joshua 24:15

New International Version

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

 

James 1:5-7

New International Version

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

 

1 John 5:14-15

New International Version

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 
15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.