What is my understanding of the current crisis, both world-wide and personally? We may all have our own views on the situation: half truths flying about, certain conspiracy theories, personal grief over loved ones suffering, some even dying. World government systems are creaking under the enormity of the strain of the crisis, endeavouring to control the virus and the people. Many in the world are suffering with fear, frustration or anger in this situation. Where do we stand as born-again Believers in Jesus Christ?
We need to remove the shoes of our understanding, just as Moses was ordered by the Lord when he saw the burning bush that was not consumed by fire, (Exodus 3). We need to see things in the light of God’s understanding, from His perspective, not our own. There is a bigger picture from God’s view, far greater than my finite understanding. My natural human understanding limits the Unlimited One.
Ephesians 1:17-18. Paul prays, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”.
As we have stated previously, this virus was not sent by God, but He will use the crises of the nations for His purposes. As you meditate on the above scripture, a four point divine purpose unfolds and defines our Father’s plan for each of us. We have a free will to choose to make this our personal prayer, to see things from God’s perspective and trust Him with our lives……or not!
The world is being shaken, but God is shaking and sifting His Church. We have so often been caught up with our inheritance in Christ, and rightly so, it is an amazing privilege, but the above scripture teaches us that God has an inheritance in us, His saints. God has given everything from His side – the sacrifice of His beloved Son in His redemption plan, unconditional love, amazing grace, the fruits of His Spirit at work in our lives and the gifts of His Spirit to bless and edify the whole Body of Christ, His Church. Now the great Creator, our faithful Heavenly Father is seeking and looking for His inheritance in us. What exactly is He looking for? He is looking for the measure of the stature of His beloved Son in each of us, (Ephesians 4:13) – this is His inheritance.
Have I written my “spiritual will” out yet? This is where I make Jesus the sole benefactor in a living will. It only needs one sentence. Jesus showed us the pattern in the Garden of Gethsemane when He said, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done”. This is God’s inheritance in His saints.
If it takes something like this to shake the world and it’s systems, to shake His Church, then Amen. God’s purpose is always to see His Son lifted up.
The world’s desire is to get through this crisis and get back to normal. That normal was not acceptable from God’s perspective. We cannot help but be aware of the many evils in our different cultures and spirit of anti-Christ world wide. We know what the Bible predicts about End Times and they will surely come to pass. The beginning of End Times appears to have begun, but the End is not yet. Let us keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus, being available for Him to use us as He will, to extend His kingdom in us, and through us, to others. Let everything we say and do……..come from the throne of heaven, all for God’s glory!
May we become a living epistle for Jesus, “known and read of all men”. We all seek to have the right answers. Oswald Chambers wrote, “Jesus said, “I am the Truth”, implying that truth is more than a sum of right answers. It is not something “to have”, but something “to be”. God’s desire is not to merely inform us with revelation, but to transform us to the image of His Son. We may seek revelation knowledge, but God seeks to make us true! His inheritance!
Dear Lord Jesus, please keep me true to You. Amen.