COVID - Will It Win?

There’s nothing good about evil and there’s no hope in redeeming horrible things by saying that evil is good. Isaiah warned the Jewish people about this mistake which was dangerous and prevalent in his days. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!“ (Isaiah 5.20).

I appreciate the good nature of so many people in Australia and other countries, who looked in March when global attention turned to COVID-19, saw what needed to be done to knock the virus out of their world, and got to work to make that happen. That took place in South Korea and in various countries of the world. I like that people saw the problems and set to work to make the coronavirus into something less than significant. Of course there were many around the world who didn’t respond or when they finally did respond, were ill-equipped or ill-tempered to take on the task of elimination, of mitigation or of sensible victories over the disease. The result has been thousands upon thousands of people dead and many more suffering long-term debilitating results from their contracting the virus at their home or the rally, at the pub or the fitness centre. Saying ‘she’ll be right, mate’ to another at these times is nothing more than what Solomon intimated when he wrote, “Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day or like vinegar on soda, is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.” (Prov. 25:20) We cannot make light of the sadness and the commensurate troubles of those who suffered and who are still suffering due to the virus, the lockdowns, the mental stress, and the economic losses. These problems are all real, and good people are among those who have been suffering.

When one donor couple wrote me last month from South Australia about what they are seeing there, I was tremendously encouraged. “We’ve prayed for years for Awakening…and we are beginning to see this in the middle of the pandemic. So many churches are developing prayer teams across denominations and praying together… Many churches are praying for Israel and coming to love Jewish people!” They wrote much more, but that segment seriously blessed us. We are seeing that in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney particularly and are excited. When God moves prayer champions to the same prayers, it’s as if he’s about to act for his own name’s sake.

Do I therefore think COVID is a good thing? I won’t call evil good, nor good evil, but I’m glad that “when the enemy comes in a like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59.19). And Paul wrote the Romans, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril [add COVID-19], or sword?...For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 8.35-39)

Will COVID win? Not a chance! Keep your eyes fixed on Yeshua and love your neighbour. Ask that person if they are ok, if they need anything, and let’s be turning the darkness of global gloom into the light of the glory of God for them, for your suburb, for your state, and for our countries. To God be the glory!

By Bob Mendelsohn- AustralAsian Director, Sydney. October 2020