Their lives had a major turn to a hundred and eighty degrees, having their homes shattered and abandoned, their stocks and livelihoods were all taken away from them, their freedom along with their family members have to suffer and are forced to live as slaves to some foreign land, along with the temples they've built during the years, were all taken away from them. Thinking about such drastic changes and devastation would surely leave someone feeling hopeless and lost.
With the pandemic going on, where many lives are lost - - may it be a family member or someone they dearly love, people losing their jobs or with our economy crashing down, businesses going bankrupt, hence freedom had been limited, and fear about the unknown and unstability --- the Pastor can't help but to compare and look back at the time when the Israelites were living in a time of turmoil like ours.
Now, why are there sufferings? And if God loves us and want the best for us, why does He allow these kinds of tragedies?
It was stated in the Bible that the Israelites were living in sin and are back to worshipping their pagan gods, hence God allowed their sufferings to happen. We all need to reflect upon that and where do we stand from this. Maybe God wants us to draw back to Him, maybe He wants us to repent and turn away from our wicked ways, or rmaybe He is moulding us in a way where in we can be the type of Christian He created us to be, with the pandemic going on, but why to this extent? Easy. Because He knows us, and what can get our attention.
Whatever God's reason is for allowing this pandemic, He is not obligated to give us some explaining to do, why? because HE IS GOD. Period.
He is the LORD God Almighty who created the entire universe, He is the same God who freed the Israelites from the Egyptian bondage, the same God who dwealt with us, the same God who helped us, and the same God who loves us, and the same God wants the best for us.
God is OMNIPOTENT (Almighty and Powerul) OMINISCIENT (All knowing and can see the future) and OMNIPRESENT (He is everywhere) It was discussed in Jeremiah in 29:1-15, where Jeremiah spoke to the people and said that there're false prophets that were propehesizing that their bondage would only last for a short notice, Does that sound familiar? But then God told them to start "accepting" and just "live through" it, for the suffering will last them for 70 years, now God didn't tell us that the pandemic would last as long as that but at the end of their journey and suffering is that God had given them the promise of emancipation or freedom and assurance.
If there is one thing that I've learned based on my experience is that before reacting in any given circumstances is that I have to always remember who God is, and what kind of God I am serving. He is a Loving God, who is Faithful, Gentle, Mighty, and Just. Surely He wants the best for me, and surely His plan will always be the best for me, and we all can rest on that because I know what a reliable and trustworthy God I am serving.
In a life filled with uncertainty and troubles, know that God is still in control, and will always be.
I dont know what situation any of you who are reading this article are in right now, but know that God surely is faithful, and that we can truly rely and trust in Him regardless of how undeserving we are, because that is just who He is :)
