By Pastor Daniel

Introduction
In living in the new norm, which we are in right now, there will be changes that we must be ready to embrace. Little did we anticipate that the pandemic would stretch this long. Most of us would have thought that it is only short and temporary. With the numbers growing all over the world, with new variants to face and new medication to discover, we are now accepting the fact that this will go on for a longer time than we expected.

Fears that are real and relevant
While some of us are feeling fearful of what this virus can mutate into and what it can do, the fear while it is real, it is only to the body it harms. A verse in Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell.”

So while we all live with this “fear”, each time we see a rising figure, a picture of a premise surrounded by barb wires, let us know that there is even a great fear we need to be aware of.

The context of Matthew is about the persecution the followers of Jesus were about to face or were facing. While it is real, the greater fear that one needs to pay attention to is the fear of the Lord.

How is this relevant today?
As I set to think of the situation in the spiritual aspect, I come to realize that God is doing more than just allowing the pandemic to inflict fear in our hearts. I believe God is also doing a deeper work in our hearts in that our commitment to God is being tested at this time. Everything has come down to a personal level. Am I still walking with God faithfully? Am I still communing with God diligently? Am I still reaching out to others to love and care in ways that may be different today?

I remembered one incident that strikes my heart when a member of the CG came over and brought a tub of jelly dessert to me. With a great smile, she said, “Now that we cannot have physical fellowship, we can still have food fellowship.” It touches my heart and inspires us to do something too.

While fear may be lurking around us, let us know that faith can also rise above it. Keep your walk with God faithfully. Know that to fear God is above all else. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Proclamation is possible and needful
In the earlier verse of 27, Jesus said, “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”

Those words have been ringing in my heart and the application is that God knows what we do and He desires that we become bold in doing what is right. God the Father watches over us as we are more valuable than many sparrows.

What is “doing right and boldly”? I believe it is what God has commanded us. To live a life that honors God would be a good summary of it all.

Yet there is another – found in the great commission of proclaiming Jesus as the Savior of souls today, the giver of hope, the offer of forgiveness, the source of life and peace. This we must proclaim boldly.

As I even thought of this – we have come to a point that we are beginning to interact with people who are close to us most of the time. It begins in the home – living a life that honors God when we relate to one another at home. Then it stretches to our loved ones, both believers and pre-believers and we are the best person to touch base with them. If they are far away, there is always the phone, Zoom, WhatsApp, Telegram, FaceTime, etc. Name it, we have it!

The amazing thing is that we can afford now to speak for a prolonged time without worrying over cost and time because we have them too today – time! I am amazed how we can speak with our children over the WhatsApp video for more than an hour of which we could not in the past. It is time to proclaim what we hear “whispered” in our ears. We proclaim over the housetops and in the “clouds”.

This is the “new” thing. Can I also stretch my application from 2 Corinthians 5:17 that says, “If anyone is in Christ (connected to Him, knowing Him and His will, despite all adversities), he is a new creation, old things have passed (things that we are accustomed to before), behold all things are new (we must learn to embrace that which is new today).
 
Loving all of you and may God bless you all.