As soon as this thing started to look like it had implications for us (wasn’t it amazing how quickly that happened?!), and daily life was altered, with new information seeming to come in every hour or so, I had this desire to let this do what it was meant to do in my life. It is so different, so radically large-scale and unprecedented. Surely God was calling his people to something.
Perusing yesterday through the last chapters of Job, which I have always loved—God challenges Job like few other places in Scripture—I found this interesting verse I had never seen before. Elihu is telling Job how un-like man God is, and talking about God’s intricate hand in nature (which, we know, is telling us of God’s glory every day Ps. 19:1 and Rom. 1:20),
“Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of his lightening. It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, that it may do whatever He commands it on the face of the inhabited earth. Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.” We don’t have to take one verse by Elihu and draw all our conclusions from it, but it did strike me that these may be several of the many things God is doing, as he sovereignly governs all that goes on in our world today, as much now as He did last month, and for eternity past.
For correction: as we get to see how small our faith is, how much we have trusted in lesser things and placed our affections on things that don’t really matter. As we repent from trusting in our medical system and our money and our savings and ourselves. As we recognize that maybe we have filled our lives so full, we don’t even have time to think about what really matters. Surely there is correction God is doing during this time. I just finished reading through the Gospels and the main thing I was struck with was, Jesus’ calling is a calling to repentance. I pray He brings me to my knees in personal repentance, as I take the time to evaluate different areas of my life.
For His world: (or literally, the earth and the land) The earth is taking a deep breath, as we all slow down in a way that would have seemed entirely impossible even a month ago. I am not an earth-worshiper, I am a God-who-created-this-earth worshipper :) and, as people who have been given dominion over the earth, I think it is appropriate to offer God thanks for giving the earth a little break. The whole earth IS full of His glory! I know I have a new appreciation for fresh air and beautiful scenery when I consider I could be stuck inside sterile walls for days on end. Some of you are, and can testify to the sweetness of looking forward to being in God’s creation.
For lovingkindness: Surely we are the happy ones, knowing that all that God does to his precious children, He does in love. We have all of his precious promises, under and above and around us, hemming us in, behind and before. He has laid His hand on us (Ps 139), but it is a hand of kindness, the hand of a good Father. “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and justice, upright and just is He!” (Deut 32:4) His lovingkindness is also what gives those without him a chance to turn, and receive, His indescribable gift!
What an amazing time to submit ourselves to the Father, be refreshed and renewed by His Spirit, and ask Jesus to come and do new things in us! He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is holding you and I together, even now.
