After President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement last night, we realise how serious the COVID-19 pandemic is. No one knows exactly what the world will look like in a month’s time. All that we can say is that it will look a lot different from what we’re used to. That makes many people feel afraid.

But we do know that our Father has never forsaken us. And He will not do so now. Now is the time to put our faith into action. We must do as the Word says and hold onto our Rock. 

Crossroads reader, let’s kneel down and pray for everyone in our country and in the world, because nobody is untouched by this situation.

We pray that God will be with you and keep you safe. May you feel His arms around you so that all fear or worry will disappear.

(To remind you to pray, make this red cross your profile pic, so that every time you see it you will close your eyes and ask that God’s grace be with us.)

Many blessings!

Please share with your friends. Prayer is powerful. God listens!

The doorbell rings. I don’t know the man at the door. He pushes a thick wad of papers in my hand. I start reading. I don’t understand everything, but at the back somewhere I see my signature on an account application. My heart starts beating uncontrollably. It’s a summons. The amount has quite a few zeroes, many more than I have.

Stress grips me like a vice around my head. I can’t sleep that night. I get up early for my devotional. Who can I call? Who will help me to create order in the confusion of my emotions? I look up at my screen. I read: ¹⁷But it doesn’t matter—the Master stood by me and helped me …

I calm down. The headache disappears. The vice is gone.

No, the situation hasn’t changed. The danger is still there, but I feel ready to face it, because God didn’t abandon me. He walks with me hand in hand. He guides me in the right direction, like phoning a friend who helps me to solve the problem.

But more than that, God gives me the strength to get through this. Without his strength I wouldn’t even have been able to get out of bed. But now I’m calm and I have the strength to tackle the problem head-on.

Are you facing a huge challenge? Has someone else put a huge obstacle in your way? Were you yourself responsible for the trouble, doing or saying something out of ignorance, and now you’re stuck with the result?

This will give you peace: God will never abandon you. It doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do, or how long ago you have turned to God. God is with you. He wants to walk with you through this crisis.

He wants to make his sources of power available to you. He has so much. More than enough to switch on all the lights in the world. You have access to all this power. Take it. Go and plug yourself into God so that He can charge your batteries to tackle the obstacle in your way.

Listen to Dina’s story about God’s power:

After seven months of being ill I heard the following on Radio Pulpit this morning: “You made my life large with strength” and “those who wait upon God get fresh strength” (Ps 138 and Isaiah 40:31).

At my school, a colleague working in the garden came to encourage me, saying the Lord can heal me. Another teacher came to hug me on the playground and whispered to God to heal me while 200 kids played around us. A friend held me in her arms and said she loved me. Another brought me a cup of soup. 

I went home at 10:00 due to total exhaustion and pain. My husband had made me an appointment with a doctor we didn’t know. The doctor is 84 years old. He discovers that my heart and lungs aren’t working to capacity due to my heart rhythm medication. He prescribes different medication. He guarantees I will start feeling better by Friday. He hugs me and plants a fatherly kiss on my forehead before I go.

By that evening I’m feeling 50% better than the whole past year.

All these people that I mention above who crossed my path today and who cared for me were sent by God and wear his sticker. Their words and deeds witness their fruit of the Spirit.

See God’s power at work. Working through other people. See the healing, because God is still here and he works through his Holy Spirit!

God is there for you too! God will also use the people around you. He will give you strength. To tackle that obstacle in your way too!

Scripture
2 Tim 4:16-18

Reflection
How big is your crisis?
Do you believe God is with you?
Do you believe God gives you strength?

Prayer
Lord, I feel so helpless and alone. My problems are more than I can bear. Thank you for promising that You will not leave me alone. Please help me to see how You work through other people in my life. Amen.