IS THERE HOPE?
Self-Isolation . Social distancing. Lockdown. Covid-19. Words once alien to us have now become everyday household occurrences. What's one thing we can learn from Coronavirus? Things can change rapidly... Life can be interrupted from being in cruise control to spinning out of control faster than we ever imagined.
But is this the new reality or will Coronavirus be just another event we leave behind to gather dust in the history books?
BILL GATES AND CORONAVIRUS
In a 2015 TED Talk, Bill Gates started by saying as a kid the disaster people faced most was a nuclear war. People had canisters containing food that sat in the bunker in case things went awry. But now the greatest risk of global catastrophe that can kill over 10 million people are not missiles but microbes. His main point: "We are not ready for the next epidemic."
Right on cue, in 2020 the world was not ready when an unknown disease starting in Wuhan, China suddenly took over the world causing the largest economies to grapple with providing massive economic stimulus packages to keep their economies running like normal. Other presidents have warned their citizens to prepare for what could be a Great Depression.
Toilet paper, hand sanitiser, seeds, soil - basically anything to help sustain life has become scarce causing people to go into panic mode. Jobs are unstable. People are afraid of the future. Nervousness stalks the now quiet street corners. The question is how should you respond?
TROUBLED TIMES
The good news is that long before Bill Gates, another man named Jesus Christ made a startling prediction about the conditions of our world in the times we are now living. He said, "And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars... And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places." Matthew 24:6-7
Stop press! Did you catch that? Jesus said our world will experience a rise in pestilences amongst other things. What's coronavirus? You guessed it! A pestilence or a plague. Jesus could foresee the future and for those who pay keen attention when they see global pandemics take place they should not be surprised but prepared. But prepared for what?
THE GOOD NEWS
Have you ever crossed the road and not noticed a car speeding right in your direction? You'd be pretty thankful to the person who called out to you to warn you, wouldn't you? Well it's the same here. Jesus predicts the condition of our world not to frighten us but to prepare us for some important event yet to come! But this is when it get's exciting. Hold onto your seats!
Jesus goes onto say, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Luke 21:28 Redemption? What does that mean? Jesus is saying there's hope in the midst of disappointment. A new beginning in the middle of chaos. He is saying that all these things happening in the world: pandemics, wars, climate change, natural disasters are a sign that this world cannot sustain us forever. We need something better and more permanent to invest our hope and trust in. We need a Saviour and that is Jesus.
He is saying life on this earth is not all there is. There is more. It's the hope of being saved. The Bible says, "Whoever calls on the name of [Jesus] shall be saved." Acts 2:21
When you find that the foundations on which you stand are starting to shake take courage that it's an opportunity to come into contact with the One who can steer you through some of life's greatest challenges. Jesus said, "Fear not, for I am with you."Isaiah 41:10
HOPE FOR TOMORROW
Watch this amazing video hosted by Doug Batchelor of Amazing Facts TV to boost your faith today!
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In this together,
Bundoora Church