“If only Jesus were here, He wouldn’t have allowed this to happen,” is a phrase I’ve been hearing go around a lot lately. I have never heard a bigger lie be told than this one.
It’s no secret that COVID-19 has brought mass destruction to our world. Whether that be physical, emotional, or spiritual, the suffering that our society is experiencing is so real.
People everywhere are desperate and are in need of great healing. They’re grasping for something, a glimpse of hope, something that will satisfy this desire to be seen and known during this time of uncertainty.
Brothers and sisters, this ache that we feel deep in our hearts is none other than a longing for Christ, Himself. They say every relationship, at one point or another, experiences what we call “ebb and flow.” This “ebb” is distance in a relationship, but it is healthy and all the while necessary for growth. Ebb brings us to a deeper longing, in this case, a longing for the Father and the total outpour of His love for us.
This catastrophic time in our world isn’t a time to fall away from God, but rather a time to draw near to Him. It’s in this time, where God is calling us out into the deep, to a life of complete trust in Him. He longs to be with us, even more than we long to be with Him. This time of solitude is a gift – the ideal opportunity to simply call upon His name and say, “Here I am.”
Sure, we can’t physically be present at the church. Yes, we’re away from our friends and community. But no matter how convicted we are that Jesus is “gone,” He has never left our side. The God that sent His Son into the world to perform miracles and heal people, then eventually suffer and die for our sake, is the same God who is present in each of our hearts in the year 2020. He hasn’t lost His power and He never will. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
That being said, why do we limit Jesus to church? He has the power to act beyond walls, especially during this time. So, I encourage you to beg Him to come into your heart. He will never force you, but know that He is knocking and patiently waiting for your “yes.” It can be scary, it can be uncomfortable, but the beautiful promises that Jesus has for us should far outweigh any fear that we have.
What are you waiting for? Draw near to Him all the more. He is with us.