So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Here we are again! It appears that we will soon be making the plunge down those coaster rails. Only thing, on the coaster, we pretty much know where we will end…right back where we started. With the re-opening of the states, we just aren’t sure!
I want to direct your attention to my title. You can see it has a period after each letter indicating that the letter stands for something. Once I tell you what each letter stands for, we will unpack the phrase, and I am praying that you will find comfort when you seriously think about it!
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
False…Throughout this pandemic we have received, well, false information. No one’s fault, I guess. We just had not experienced this strain, 19, before. Scientists were not sure how to respond. Will it go this way-or that? So, when we are told to ‘trust the science’, and we find out the science is on a slippery slope, how do we trust them?
Evidence…Hmmmm….What IS the evidence? Think about what you see and know to be true. Some proven facts are; 99% of people who contract INFLUENZA in a common flu season, will survive, 97.7% of people who contract COVID-19 this year, will survive. Not such a vast difference. And if you factor in the rate of the errors and changes in numbers the scientists made, well…it’s probably even closer. Just the evidence.
Appearing…This suggests something we can see. I see many wearing masks, waiting for regularly scheduled dentist and doctor appointments, holding up on cancer treatments, not appearing are graduations, weddings, vacations, grandchildren, family as they are restricted from hospitals and nursing homes of dying loved ones, hair is appearing longer and more gray, and the list goes on.
Real…My favorite one. What has been REAL? This one is hard to evaluate. With all the information floating around from ‘experts’, it it hard to know who the expert is, who really knows what is happening, will it happen again and do we have it under control yet? What I know for sure, I know the One who has all the answers. Therefore, I will not F.E.A.R. Notice, I said I WILL NOT…IT IS AN ACT OF OUR WILL.
Yes, we are at the slope of the roller coaster that will give us ‘butterflies’ in our stomach, stress about our future, shortness of breath with anxiety. Remember, God holds the ‘coaster rails’. He knows how it finishes, and He is there…waiting. The verse says He will uphold you with His righteous right hand. If God has us in His right hand, can anything enter that hand that He does not allow? And, if He allowed it, won’t it be for our benefit? Remember His promise in James ‘every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above?’ And remember when Joseph met with his brothers after he became Pharaoh’s Assistant? He told them; ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 2So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you ‘ in Genesis 50:20-21.
There is a trust factor involved here. We sing this as a worship chorus; Even when we can’t see it, He is working. Even when we can’t feel it, He is working. He never stops, never stops working…
Trust the process.
Question for the day…what do you fear in the return ?
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