Priorities will End the Pandemic

 

As the pandemic roars on with seemingly no end in sight, people are becoming discouraged. They are unable to make plans and unable to socialize without restrictions. Many are vaccinated and many believed this was the answer to the freedom they had been missing. Now there wouldn’t be any cause for worry. Yet, the next virus, Omicron has quickly shuttered the world once more with its rapid spread, and put demands on the already taxed healthcare systems.  As I’ve written previously, many believe that if everyone were vaccinated, that would end the pandemic.  Yet, would that truly end it? I think it’s highly unlikely given the fact that most are vaccinated, and yet there are many thousands who have caught the variant who are vaccinated.

 When the pandemic began, I had this insight from the Lord that the pandemic had to do with people’s priorities. Idols kept coming to mind, idols of the heart. What really matters to us? Travel? Grandkids? Hobbies? Careers? Social life? As Christians, we know that the Lord must come first in order for our Christian life to work properly. In fact, Jesus said it is the first commandment:

 Mat 22:36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 In my own life, I have been presented with the challenge of making the decision to forego my deepest heart’s desires in order to love the Lord more than the thing I desired. The first time I can remember it happened when I was quite ill with PTS and unable to work. I was on sick leave, but all my sick days were spent and I had no money coming in to pay my rent, car, or even to buy groceries. I was about to lose everything as it neared end of month. I remember I was walking on a city street (I did a lot of walking then), and God spoke to me. He asked this question: “If you lose everything, will you still love me and serve me?”

I thought about it for only a moment, and my connection to the Savior of my soul who had once pulled me out of a deep dark pit, the One who loved me and died for me, gave me an immediate answer. I said yes to Jesus. Within days, I started receiving compensation cheques from my employer. This went on for at least a year. What a miracle! God came through but He wanted to know I would love Him even if I lost everything. And I believe this is what He is asking of us today.

 NOTE: (I have written a book that covers this topic more thoroughly, The Power of Submission. Check it out here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Submission-Linda-McBurney-Gunhouse-ebook/dp/B005JQYTCA/ref=sr_1_12?qid=1642008131&refinements=p_27%3ALinda+McBurney-Gunhouse&s=books&sr=1-12).

 He asked it of Peter. In fact, He asked him three times:

 Joh 21:15  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

 He asks it of every single one of us because God won’t compete with any other god or idol. He wants to be first in our lives and in all that we do. And He wants us to forsake all other loves for His sake.

 Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

 When will the pandemic end? Really, it is largely up to us. Are we setting our affection on things above? Are we unmoved by the news of the mixed-up world? Are we seeking God’s face every morning, and in every situation we are faced with? Are we trusting in the many promises of our loving, unchanging, and faithful God? God isn’t moved by the pandemic at all, and if we trust in Him, neither should we be.  Loss is normal in the Christian life. Look at what Paul said:

 Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

 Perhaps, like me, you find that life before the pandemic was full of distractions, and you didn’t even realize you had moved away from the things of God. It is easy to be distracted especially when we are attempting to pray, read the Word, and serve God in some way. Today as things have gotten quiet, it is such a great opportunity to spend the time with the Lord, focusing on the things of God, and not on things of the world.  I am sure, when the time is right, the pandemic will end. We will be stronger than ever before, and more focussed on the things that truly matter. The things of the world will have faded away, and in its place will be a clear focus on the things of God and the Kingdom of God.