What is the greatest viral threat to humanity?
The COVID-19 virus has been a serious challenge for most of us, but there is a worse threat to our safety and happiness: fear and anxiety.
Gideon lived in a nation crippled by fear. The Bible says, “Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves, and strongholds.” (Judges 6:2, NIV) Fear can cause us to live in caves, isolation, and withdrawal. The media has advocated that we should withdraw from all human touch. Many senior citizens haven’t hugged their grandchildren for over a year. I wasn’t even allowed to return to Canada to hug my mom in her dying days without quarantine or special privilege.
I must be honest with you. I’ve been angry, anxious, and confused, but I haven’t hidden in a cave. I’ve tried to focus on living a fearless life during these confusing times. Jesus and His disciples would often pray for the outcasts of society: the lepers. “So He replied to the messengers, ‘Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.’” (Luke 7:22, NIV) Leprosy was highly contagious, but that didn’t change Jesus’ heart of love, faith, and compassion.
There is one other discipline that I’ve practiced without fail: I give thanks to God and praise Him with others. King David was like this: “Therefore I will praise You, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of Your name.” (Psalms 18:49, NIV)
friend, God has never let me down. He’s a good God, and I’ve chosen to praise Him at my church every Sunday. The church has grown so much. Some wear masks, some are vaccinated, others are taking other preventive steps, and some stay home because their health is fragile. But we all praise God with freedom and gratitude. And that brings me great joy!
The Lord has never let us down, has He, my friend? In fact, as we thank and praise Him, He inhabits our praises with His loving presence. He gives us a garment of praise to break whatever heaviness we feel. So I want to encourage you to make praise and thanksgiving daily practices because we have so much to be thankful for. You are a miracle, and I love you a ton.
