As I was driving home this weekend from my sister’s house, I saw a sign on the overpass with the words, “Are you breathing?”
Obviously this sign referred to the senseless death of George Floyd.
But, as I thought about it, I also realized that Covid-19 took away the breath of many people. As we all know this virus attacks the lungs, leaving its victims unable to perform the most basic of needs–breathing.
The verse that immediately came to me was:
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Genesis 2:7 ESV
What sets us apart from every other created animal? God Himself breathed into us.
EVERY human being gets their life from God.
But what do we do with that breath? Scripture tells us…
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
Psalm 27:12 ESV
Our country has seen so much violence over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, there are those who “breath out violence.” Anger and bitterness can breed this kind of aggression.
Forgiveness can put an end to it…even undeserved forgiveness.
Satan wishes to divide us….that is not God’s will. Yet, here we are living in a divided world in many ways, a divided country with divided families.
In John 20, Jesus met with his disciples after He rose from the grave. After He showed them His hands and feet, He said, “Peace be with you…”
…He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
John 20:22 ESV
As Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on them, He spoke of forgiveness. We need filled with the Holy Spirit in order to live the life God wants us to and be able to give forgiveness as well.
\What are we to do with this breath the LORD gave to us?
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 ESV
I saw many videos of people praising God instead of the hateful, hurtful speech and actions of some. Where there is praise, the Spirit of God resides. God is the answer for this world.
We are broken.
Only Jesus can fix what is broken…
He gave us His Word that we may know Him and know His ways. It says in 2 Timothy:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
God breathed out His Word as Jesus breathed out His Spirit on those He breathed life into. His Word with the power of the Holy Spirit can change the hardest or most wounded heart. HIs Word will teach us His ways and His will, it shows us our faults and sin, it corrects us and judges our intentions, and it trains us to be righteous and mature.
God breathed out His Word as Jesus breathed out His Spirit on those He breathed life into. #Breathe #ThisSideOfHeaven #Forgiveness
With the current state of our world, many are thinking this is the beginning of the end. While Scripture tells in Matthew 4:8, “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” What does that really mean?
Unfortunately, this world is not getting better. People are inherently selfish and evil without God. The Bible tells us this.
I saw a video with Chinese nurses, doctors, patients, and dead in Chinese hospitals. (I am not sure when these videos were filmed, it may have been at the height of the epidemic). It was heartbreaking!
It’s so easy for us to see China as the enemy, or a place filled with godless, evil people. But, these are people under extreme stress, crying, wailing, and begging for help. Nurses watching people die before their eyes, while working 15-18 hours or more everyday–overwhelmed.
These people are tired and hopeless. They need our prayers and they need a Savior.
The truth is there is a growing, thriving, underground church in China. When people are denied human rights for their emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being, hopelessness escalates. But, when they search for hope they will find Jesus. And they are!
How long will it take for our country to become this hopeless? We are already on our way. But, are we so bad that we are searching for Jesus? Are we willing to surrender our will, pride, materialism, and desires to be wholehearted, all-in, followers of Jesus, yet? What will it take?
How bad does it have to become?
Persecution grew the early church. Laziness and apathy stunt its growth.
Would we be willing to go against our government and meet in underground churches in the cover of night for hours, feeding on the Word of God and mouthing songs of praise? No, we don’t have to live this way, thank God!
But can you imagine your neighbors, or you or your family doing this?
The United States is becoming more and more godless. Some churches forego teaching holiness for a feel-good, do-as-you-please-God-will-still-love-you gospel.
God is Holy. He tells us to be holy as He is holy.
God is also LOVE. He is the very embodiment of love. He calls us to Himself. The Father disciplines us in this lifetime, so He does not have to punish us in the next.
“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Matthew 10:26-28
We need not be hopeless! Neither do we need to let fear overcome us. The almighty, all-powerful Creator loves us.
God can right all wrongs with a thought or eradicate a pandemic with a word.
So, why doesn’t He?
Did God create this virus? I don’t believe so. But whether man created it or it was the result of eating animals we were never meant to eat, we have free will.
God will not take our free will away even if we use it to kill ourselves and those around us.
The Father uses all things to bring glory to Himself and for our good. If God cannot use it for good, then He will not allow it to happen.
This is not the end of the world.
Could this virus be a wake-up call? Can it change the way we have been living? I hope so.
I believe God will and is using this virus to open people’s eyes and hearts.
We are fragile. A microscopic, non-living organism has brought some parts of this world to its knees. Did this catch God by surprise? No.
We have a non-fragile God who can help us in our time of need.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
This is God’s promise.
We love to quote these promises. But there is more to these verses….
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…” Jeremiah 29:12-14
This is our part…
I’ve studied Revelation. It’s gonna get much worse than this.
Birth pains tell us something is getting ready to happen–new life is on its way. This present time may or may not be birth pains. Only God knows.
That is not meant to cause fear, but to encourage us to live a life for Jesus. He is on the winning side. We need to take that seriously.
There will be New Life–God has promised that for all who love and follow Him.
