I've been hesitant to write this out as I know there have been many people sharing similar encouraging thoughts and devotions in this time, and probably all of them can do a better job of sharing this than I can, but I want to use the tools God has given me and let Him take care of the results.
It seems as though our world today has been turned upside down by this "pandemic" known as COVID-19. Unfortunate as it may seem, we have all been affected by this virus in one way or another. As we look around we see schools closed for the remainder of the semester, churches having to adapt to online or drive-in services but unable to open their doors, businesses being forced to close their doors, many people are out of work or having to adapt to working from home, while some are called to the "front lines" to help in the fight against this terrible virus. We've seen revivals, special services, concerts, weddings, funerals, birthday parties, vacations, the list could go on seemingly forever, all cancelled. In all of this it's easy for us to look around and wonder what good can come from all of this. It's easy for us to question why God would allow such a seemingly terrible thing to happen among us. It is easy to feel like our whole world is crumbling around us, with our plans and hopes for the year disappearing day by day.
However, if we are truly practicing what we preach, our plans are not where our faith lies to begin with. We still serve an almighty God who sits on the throne, and nothing catches Him by surprise. A God whose word stands throughout every storm, and will continue to remain unchanged through all of eternity. A God with a plan for His church, and for each and every one of our lives. We have a living God who remains sovereign even when the world around us seems to shake.
None of these things we see in our world today come as a surprise to God. He is not sitting around trying to figure out a plan for Easter Sunday when the churches will be empty. He is not struggling to come up with some other way to move since our event was cancelled. He is still reaching, moving, ministering, reaching, transforming even in this time. He still has a plan even in this time for our nation, our communities, our churches, our homes, and each and every one of our lives. God's plan will not fail.
Over the past couple of weeks as I have been thinking on this I have noticed a number of ways God is still working in this time, and I believe if we will open our eyes and be sensitive to the Spirit, we will find that God is doing things in this time that we never would have imagined. I have personally seen a number of people watch the live-stream of a church that they might not have otherwise attended if they hadn't seen someone share it on social media. I've seen a number of people step outside their comfort zone and find new ways to present the ministry God had laid on their hearts. There is prayer in our homes and communities, the likes of which we haven't seen in quite some time. There are still many opportunities for the church to be a light in our world today, and show the way to the one true answer our world needs today.
No, God's plans have not been cancelled. He still cries out to a lost and dying world. He still longs to save anyone that will come and receive Him. The question is, will we choose to be a part of this plan? Will we choose to use this time to show the world what the church is all about? Will we choose to point others to the one who gives peace, rather than living in fear? Will we choose to use the resources we have to encourage one another, and reach the world around us? Let us choose today to not only open our eyes and seek to see God's plan in all of this, but to also pray that he would use us to be a part of it in any way we can.