“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13, NIV.
Wouldn’t you know, as I was preparing to write this devotion, I grabbed my Bible, sat down in my comfortable chair and just randomly opened the worn cover. Looking down without turning a page, the Scripture from the book of Romans caught my eye. God always meets me when I begin any writing project as he “speaks” to my spirit, thoughts intended to bring encouragement to the reader. Sometimes, however, his presence is profound, as in this instance. My eyes were riveted to the words that speak beautifully to all of our spirits in this time of such uncertainty.
How I wish I could send a message that has nothing to do with the Coronavirus but then, that would be like talking to a group of people in a crowded room with the proverbial elephant and not addressing its presence. All around us, morning, noon and night our world is bombarded with messages, draining from our lives any sense of normalcy. I am not as concerned about the effects of the virus as I am about the disruption to relationships, families and loved ones both near and far.
Fear is a powerful emotion, instilled inside each of us to draw upon for our survival; a temporary shot of heightened adrenaline serves us well in times of need. But God never meant for humans to exist in the constant state of excess adrenaline. Yet, we are reminded everyday about taking the precautions to be safe.
Friend, our hope is not in anything this world can offer. Our hope is in the God of creation, in the beauty of springtime, in the rising of the sun every day and its setting because these things all rest in God’s mighty hands; and, so does the Coronavirus! “Hope, joy, peace…” lovely thoughts and a promise from the One who supplies them. Hold onto these thoughts because they are trustworthy and true.
God bless you today and always…