At last we survived the “Coro” year! The year 2020, the end of a decade was one that etched horrible fears in the psyche of everyone all over the world with the outbreak of the corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic that hit the entire world like a volcano in 2020. It is pointless recalling how the deadly virus that brought the world to her kneels broke out because its memories are better forgotten and thrown into the garbage of history!
It is unfortunate and sad too, that COVID-19 ravaged the world with the loss of millions of lives across the globe, and also instilled palpable fears in the hearts of those who survived its scourge to see the New Year 2021. While we sympathize with those who died from COVID-19 in 2020, for us who survived the virus by the mercy of God to witness 2021 there are lessons to glean and ponder from the destructive pandemic.
First, the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 exposed the fragility, futility and limitations of human begins irrespective of statuses and standings in the society. Those who described COVID-19 as a leveler are not incorrect because it is one global pandemic that broke the ranks to bring both the privileged and the less privileged to the same level of a global disaster.
COVID-19 brought to fore the unarguable indispensability of God in the affairs of men as people of diverse religious faiths, and even many non-religionists recognized God and sought his divine intervention to stop the ravaging COVID-19 in the world. COVID-19 is the greatest evangelist in the world in 2020. As it harvested thousands of souls across the globe for graves so it led millions of souls all over world to seeking God’s help for solution to its deadly and ravaging scourge all over the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic made religious preachers look hapless in 2020. They watched helplessly their acclaimed healing power faded in the face of COVID-19 attack. Self-acclaimed miracle healers went into isolation. Religious centres that sick people hitherto ran to, to receive divine healing were lock down for months by authorities as one of the measures to control the spread of the deadly virus. Health workers also ran for safety!
The basic lesson from the helplessness of religious preachers and centres (churches/mosques) and powers in the wake of COVID-19 is that there is no salvation or safety anywhere or in anyone outside God. Acts 3:12 affirms, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Second lesson from the COVID-19 scourge and the futility of human efforts, knowledge, wisdom and resources etc is that whatever safety, provisions and prayers etc that human beings put in place is still subject to the authority and permission of God. Proverbs 21:31 affirms, “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.”
The third lesson is just as COVID-19 caught the entire world unawares and unexpected, so will the day of the Lord also come upon mankind unawares and unexpected. 2 Peter 3:10 says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
COVID-19 is a dress rehearsal of the day of the Lord. In like manner the COVID-19 caught the world unawares so will the day of the Lord catch unawares those who fail to prepare for it with a right living with God. The day of the Lord, like a pastor said is a long range of time of series of end of the age events that include the two judgments, the tribulation, and the great tribulation among other horrible events of the end of the age.
Aside those it consumed, COVID-19 provided a privy of amendment for those who survived the virus. But no privy of amendment or repentance after the day of the Lord unfolds. Therefore, in 2021, we should live ready and prepared for the coming of the day of the Lord with a right living with God lest that day catches us unawares like COVID-19. Shalom!