As many have noted, COVID-19 hit unexpectedly. Everyone, except China, went from distant observers to experiencing it first-hand. My first reaction to the whole ordeal was denial, even after they had declared it a pandemic, even when they had closed all universities and I had packed my things to return home. I was determined that the last few months of my second year and the majority of my summer I had planned out, would be executed perfectly. But God. God has a funny way of reminding you of who He is and in a strange but beautiful way, this pandemic reminded me of who God is and his infallible word. In what way you ask?
1. His ways are not our ways
Job 26:14 reads - And these are but the outer fringes of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"
What I’ve learnt is that beyond the statement of His ways are higher than my own, I truly am experiencing, understanding and often seeing merely the edges of Gods work and who He is. In comparison to God, this world and everything in it that we deem so important is truly minute. I’m not saying our problems or endeavours are insignificant to God, but simply so easily doable to him that they are small. I can’t begin to imagine how a pandemic was in God's plan, because I'm not God. Still, I rest assured that everything He does or allows is for the good of us, His children. If we were to understand His ways, His thoughts, His reasoning behind things, I believe we would combust. Scripture describes his power as ‘thunder’. In Psalms 29:3 - "The God of glory thundereth and Exodus 9:23 “The Lord sent thunder and hail”. In the Bible, thunder signifies the voice of God but also His power and might. This brings me onto my next lesson, revelation or whatever you want to call it.
2. My God is mighty
Growing up and worshipping in church, various songs described God as big, mighty, great, strong – essentially synonyms for each other. When I was young this created an image in my mind of a God who was literally big in stature but now, I understand it as the spirit of God is big, overwhelmingly powerful, able to intercede into any negative situation, mighty in its works and so strong in its presence. John Piper describes ‘God Is’ as the most ultimate fact encompassing so much – God is healer, peace giver, double-edged sword, father, confidant, comforter, absolute. God is everything and more.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are constantly chasing the next frill, next experience, next goal. But, in this Pandemic, God has allowed us to realign our goals and make Him the ultimate one because God is. There is never a point on this journey with Him and to Him that we can sit down and say, ‘I know enough’. It’s impossible. There’s too much to know and too much of Him to experience. Therefore, everything outside of Him is secondary.
3. The phrase ‘time is precious’ has a whole different meaning
To me using this time preciously is to experience God in a new way and see how constant He is. Since being in quarantine, I could not help but notice the birds are always singing. Morning, afternoon and well into the evening as the days become longer, they sing. The wind blows and I see it as even more of a blessing than it was before.
So, paint, bake, delve into the word, worship, dance and do it all with unmatched ease because you have time. The creator of time has given us all a little bit more of this thing that was once a hindrance, hard to manage. Something that prevented us from coming to Him, loving our families and even loving ourselves (self-care). Let us use this blessing to glorify God in a new and beautiful way because our creator has given us the most precious thing… time.
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