Maybe Covid Was a Plague

So, I am vaccinated against Covid-19.  I had the Pfizer shots back a few weeks ago.  I am now finding the face masks much more uncomfortable and I wish they were unnecessary, but they are still recommended.  We are still in the midst of a pandemic and must continue to take precautions as the virus has shown its ability to mutate and proliferate through the population.  On Friday, I attended a wedding, and later in June I am planning to attend a performance at my son’s school.  Our school district has announced it’s high school graduation date - we are getting back to…”normal,” but hopefully with some lessons learned.  
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I continue to see Facebook memories of posts from 1 year ago.  I was in a completely different state of mind.  We were closed.  We were very limited in our interactions with humans outside our home.  Many people were working from home, the school year was 100% remote, restaurants were closed - it was a different time.  Many people wondered if Coronavirus / Covid-19 was a plague.  I asserted that it was not, but most certainly, I do not have the mind of God, so I can only speculate.  

My pastor, Steve Hogg, has been preaching a series from Exodus and last week he preached about the plagues sent to encourage Pharaoh to let God’s people, the Israelites out of bondage.  Pharaoh didn't believe in God or His power - his heart was hard against God.  God responded by sending plagues on him and all of Egypt to help Pharaoh see and realize who was in control.  Pharaoh tried to bargain with God and sometimes he pretended he understood.  As he resisted, the plagues became progressively worse.  First the Nile River, the water supply for all of Egypt was changed to blood.  Then frogs covered the land, were in the people’s homes.  Then came the gnats.  “All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.” (Ex. 8:17)  Between each plague, Pharaoh was given the opportunity to recant, to believe in God, to allow God’s people to go and worship Him freely, but he refused.  In my pastor’s sermon, he explained that plagues can be personal, that we can experience our own personal plagues due to our disobedience.  We can respond through repentance or by hardening our heart and continuing in disobedience.  If we choose the latter, God may respond with another personal plague.  

This sermon made me think about the wonderings last year in regards to whether or not Covid-19 was (still is) a plague sent by God to discipline mankind.  I ask you, if Covid-19/Coronavirus was a plague, in what ways has it changed you?  We see in Exodus that Pharaoh did not heed the Lord’s call, which incited another plague.   Scripture indicates that Pharaoh thought the plagues were a game.  After the fourth plague, it states, “Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 31and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained.  32But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.” (Ex. 8:30-32)  If we continue reading, there were six (6) more plagues to come.  

Maybe Covid-19 was a plague - if so, how has it changed you?  What have you learned?  Did you use the change of pace to read more into the Word of God?  Did you begin to appreciate your family?  Did you begin to pray more?  Or did you harden your heart and remain unchanged?  

Surely you were touched in some way by Covid - maybe you experienced the virus first hand.  In your illness were you driven to pray and as God for healing?  Maybe you were not sickened by the virus, but you prayed for someone you love who was infected by the virus.  Maybe you lost your job or experienced a decrease in hours, maybe you prayed that someone would answer the phone when you call the unemployment line.  Maybe you prayed that the Lord would better equip you to teach your child at home.  Maybe you lost a loved one to Covid and you don’t know if he/she was saved - maybe you don’t know the whereabouts of your loved one’s soul.  Maybe Covid was a plague, what have you learned?   How have you allowed it to change you?  What could the Lord have been teaching you through your experience?

Through the plagues of Egypt, God showed Pharaoh that He was the true King.  Prior to 2020, you may have thought you were king of your castle, master of your own destiny, the one who controls his own life.  Hopefully, Covid has shown you differently - that He is the Alpha and Omega, the Creator and Planner, the One who knows.  I am sure there were other, more specific lessons for each person, but we all should now have some new perspectives.  Amen. 


Have a wonderful week! 
Read something in the Word of God this week!
Kim

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