Country Living -- God in the Midst of Plagues

I can’t take credit for this blog today. This isn’t from a ministry or church. It is an email I received from “Country Living” magazine and it encouraged me to know they know how to lift our spirits and give us the answer to everything -- the promises of God. This is their article, verbatim. Only missing are the plaques that carried the scriptures about God in the midst of plagues:

"When diseases or natural disasters ravage our world, it can be confusing and scary. It can also be hard to understand where God and your faith fits in the midst of grief and uncertainty. You might find yourself wondering if you are experiencing the types of plagues described in the Bible and unsure if this just happened because the world is imperfect. Or you might hear people saying that it’s a form of punishment and find yourself uncertain what to believe. The truth is, we don’t know why these tragic things happen. But we do know that while God allows them, He is a God of comfort, and the plagues found in the Bible are only a small piece of a larger story—a redemptive rescue mission that culminates with Jesus and the gospel. We can take great comfort that we are not alone in any hardships we may face. The Bible is full of reassurances of God’s love, sovereignty, faithfulness, and protection. These are just a small handful of the verses about who God is amidst uncertainty.

--16 Uplifting Bible Verses About God in the Midst of Plagues--
~~ Deuteronomy 31:8 -- “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
~~ John 16:22 -- "So, with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."
~~ Joshua 1:9 -- "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
~~ Psalm 23:4 -- "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
~~ Psalm 4:8 -- "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe."
~~ Psalm 46:1 -- "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!"
~~ Psalm 46:10 -- “Be still, and know that I am God!"
~~ Psalm 56:3 -- "But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you."
~~ Psalm 91 -- "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.'"
~~ Isaiah 41:10 -- "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
~~ Jeremiah 29:11-13 -- " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.' "
~~ Jeremiah 17:14 -- "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise."
~~ Matthew 11:28 -- "Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.' "
~~ 2 Corinthians 1:10 "And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us."
~~ 1 John 5:14 -- "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."

Thank you, Country Living magazine, for giving us exactly what we need to conquer and win during these times and all times!

SPECIAL MID-DAY EDITION of MyPeaceZone.Com

Unlike my early (before 6 am) posts each day, I just read this article and felt I MUST post it now. I’ve heard Christians say: “I have faith. No fear here. I don’t need to social distance myself.” I, too, have complete faith in my Lord. I quote scriptures consistently about faith and not having a spirit of fear. But, I also want to obey the laws of my land. Romans 13:1-2 says: "Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."

Today, I ran across an article from March 16th, 2020 with this title: “Martin Luther actually had some good coronavirus advice back in 1527.” I think we all can draw wisdom from it:

“Back in 1527, a deadly plague hit Martin Luther’s town of Wittenberg and he wrote a letter to a friend explaining how churches should deal with such complicated circumstances. Sure, science has progressed immensely in the last 500 years and we know way more about infectious diseases than we did back then, but the heart of his words still ring true.

“Use medicine; take potions which can help you; fumigate house, yard, and street; shun persons and places wherever your neighbor does not need your presence or has recovered, and act like a man who wants to help put out the burning city,” Luther advised. “What else is the epidemic but a fire which instead of consuming wood and straw devours life and body?”

We have a better understanding of medicine, “potions” and the value of fumigation but Luther’s advice about loving your community by avoiding going out is just as pertinent today.
The scientific consensus is that “social distancing”, staying home and avoiding crowds is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus and help those who are most vulnerable. But Luther knew that as Christians, even these precautions have their limits. “If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely, as stated above,” he wrote. “See, this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

In other words, be smart. Use discernment. Protect your community by staying in but if someone needs help, remember the Gospel’s call to assist those in need. That may look different for everyone but we can all do something: Call an isolated friend who might be lonely. Check-in on elderly neighbors and family members. Don’t hoard groceries and supplies. Be generous with extra income, remembering that many people will be suffering financially in the coming days. Support medical professionals through prayer and respect of their advice and guidelines.

And most of all, remember that though the war on the coronavirus is one that can be won through wisdom and science, we protect our bodies and the health of our communities through social distancing and self-isolation. We battle not against flesh and blood, but spiritual forces that want to strip us of peace and replace it with fear.

Luther wrote: ”In closing, we admonish and plead with you in Christ’s name to help us with your prayers to God so that we may do battle with word and precept against the real and spiritual pestilence of Satan in his wickedness with which he now poisons and defiles the world.”

May God's wisdom, abiding by the laws of our land with His armor about us, and “loving our neighbors as ourselves” be our mission.