Covid Who? I fear The Lord

Being a mother of 5 I have been in awe after of each birth with the Majesty of God. How He has intrinsically, perfectly, and effectively created every little piece and part of them in my womb. Similarly, He has done the same with all living organisms. He has intrinsically created them. Call it what you may, a pandemic, an annoyance, or even just Covid 19, The Lord created a virus that would rock our world! Yes I said that the Lord created it, even formed it, not a person, not a country, but God. He has however, used people, situations, and or things we see/touch to spread it. He tends to do His best work in situations just as these. He uses things like this to happen in our seen realm, to help us seek, trust, and have faith in Him in the unseen. We unfortunately have a tendency to stay just there, in what we "think" we see AND know. Right now many people, especially Christians unfortunately, are becoming divided by politics, religion, convictions, legalism and plan old theories in regards to the whole Covid pandemic. That is why my statement is important to remember. He created it, but why? God doesn't want to harm us, but help us. He isn't a God of destruction and chaos, but a God of order and peace. He uses opportunities such as natural catastrophes, illnesses, cancer, death, Covid, and even the small daily hurts we feel for us to turn to Him. This is hard for many people and even "Christians" to understand. In our feeble minds we try to rationalize, blame, sort out why these things happen in our lives. Instead we need to ask what are you trying to teach me Lord? We need to be viewing all these circumstances as opportunities, not obstacles. The question always asked during times like this is, How could a God who is so good, gracious and loving allow a virus to cause so much death and devastation? My question I always ask is, how can anyone ever think that this isn't from God or that it isn't a huge act grace from Him?! Grace? Yes grace! I proudly said it...GRACE!

Grace: Free, undeserved, love and ultimately Gods favor to the unworthy.

Lets get real. He could wipe us all out in a blink. He hasn't. God is allowing us to repent, seek Him and remember who our true Authority should be in our lives. Now hold on, He does however place Government and others in Authority over us right now to adhere to. Which we should. Where we all tend to fall short is we tend to fear people, things, and even a virus more than we Fear the Maker. The Creator. Our Father.

Proverbs 1:7 tells us "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

We think we know Him, or in seasons we even know Him more, but as this verse states, knowledge begins with fear of Him. Many say they know Him, but do we? Take a second to just ask yourself that. Do I fear God? Truly Fear Him? A fear like we have when our child gets hurt, or walking into a dark room at night, or going into that store where everyone is wearing masks, or even when our husband is running home late from work. Can we honestly say we fear the Lord more than situations? Truly fear Him more than a virus? I believe God is using Covid as a tool for us to fear Him, seek Him, and cry out to Him, and that folks, is Grace!

"I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me." Psalm 57:2

My personal favorite book in the bible is Job. In another blog post I will explain why, as many who read the Bible say its their least, due to the feel of the book. The heartache, Job's whiny attitude, his judgmental friends. Many get bogged down with the vibe of it. I personally see grace, love and redemption. Even more a "strong" man in Christ who is continually crying out to the Lord when he no longer knows what to do or say. At the end of it all Job truly learns God's character and who He is. Job thought he knew God, and he did truly love Him, but Job was wrong about his knowledge of God. When it came down to it, He had no clue. Just as many of us live in right now. We have no clue. We love Him, but we have no clue. When we have undoubted Faith, that is, when God invites us into His invincible Kingdom, and we can truly have that peace past understanding. We get it. We fear Him. We know Him. Truly know Him. That is a foundation that is unshaken even by a virus we "can't' see. We live free of fear, but in peace with Him.

Job says this, "My ears heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42: 5-6

Job finally understood, His foundation was solid. Job truly feared, believed, seen, understood who his maker truly was. God allowed everything to be taken from Job for him to see. He knew Job would still praise Him. Covid is doing a lot of the same things to many people, in many different forms. Things we once knew as normal...gone.

Please do not misunderstand my faith during this pandemic as disregard for a legitimate virus. We personally have seen it close to home, even with a death of an uncle. We as followers of Christ have to find the balance of submission to Authority and guidelines, regard to others fears, and loving everyone right where they're at during this season God has called us into. Do my husband and I love to wear a face masks certain places? Heavens NO! Do we due to the guidelines in place...yes. We chose to because we regard those around us who are in fear and are more susceptible than us. This is not out of fear of a virus, but fear out of the convictions the Lord has personally laid on our hearts. We sought the Lord to give us our guidelines. God convicts each family the way He needs to. Seek Him first and He will never lead you wrong.

"the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether." Psalm 19:9

In closing, my thinking that Covid is by Gods grace will stand. God needs to hear us weep and cry out more, drop to our knees in repentance and truly fear His magnitude. My challenge to myself and my readers, is that when fear creeps in during this time, big or small, that we look inward and upward and remember who our maker is! Remember our God is greater!

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" Revelation 22:13

Prayer for today

Father God,

I see you. I hear you. Please grow a fear in me that is unshakable with any worldly distraction. Lord I ask that you forgive us for treating you as anything less than who you are! Please forgive me for those daily, weekly, and even the sins I do not know I am committing. Lord please help me glorify you in all that I do. May we rest in your peace that we can only receive through knowledge of your kingdom and we can obtain that with Fear of you. Lord I love you, I cherish you and your word! I praise you today and always. Please open the eyes and ears of those who don't know or understand your character. Let them see you in ALL things.

In your sons holy and oh so precious name Jesus

Amen.

By His Grace,

Lindsay Storm