因为那在你们里面的， 比那在世界上的更大
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 4:4
The risk is obvious, much as the enemy is largely invisible, if one remains oblivious and is not well equipped, oblivion would be our end result.
Hence this frenzy for face mask, sanitizers( or vodka in lieu), to surfeit of noodles and rice, suffice to make the rice weevils go mad with overindulgence, and onto toilet rolls.
In the face of the marauding herd, would it be wise to not partake a little as a hedge? Or at least at the minimum, not to stand in their way and end up being trampled?
Fifty shades of grey is the movie that appealed to the lustful carnality in some.
Fear has a different color code. Orange stirs a frenzy in many. Red could mean all hell breaking loose for some who could take on the persona of a raging bull.
As imperfect humans, like an onion skin, hidden inside each of us lies the need for self preservation, difference is, how many layers of our seemingly rational and calm countenance needs to be peeled, before the raw fear is revealed?
But as children of God, who know our Lord Jesus Christ, we know that the Spirit of God resides in us, and we can turn to Him and rest our fears in Him.
For indeed God is Sovereign over all, as reiterated in 1 John 4:4
For it is time for judgment to begin with Godś household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Peter 4:17
The above was penned on the 15th of Feb. In the days since, the Church in Singapore has taken the lead in terms of being key clusters for the virus. And the net has spread to include Italy, South Korea and Iran plus a smattering of other countries as part of this widening dragnet of the Covid19. In an era of this hangup with extreme diversity and political correctness, Covid19 has increasingly shown that it embraces diversity, and
- would it be a matter of time before Uncle Sam(or rather Uncle Trump whose press conference this morning, Thurs 27th Feb, exuding confidence on the readiness of America for COVID19, be an exercise in self delusion), and the rest of Continental Europe without borders partake in its virility?
The insouciance displayed by the financial markets is a little bit shaken, but with all equanimity, the bullish mood that has served many well since the post subprime crisis, will likely reassert itself once the fluster is over, albeit with increasing less strength. But can the demi gods sitting in the major Central Banks continue to help maintain the mood of irrelevance, with their over indulgence on monetary easing?
Is the world soon to be condemned to 0 to negative interest rates for a long long time?
Will stagnation(like Japan for past 30 years) or stagflation(like the early 1980s of high inflation and recession) be the end result?
Take Refuge from the Coming Judgement
Quite an eye catching headliner this proclamation that underlined the start of Isaiah 26 in my personal Bible. And in times of fear and uncertainty, clairvoyants and doomsayers often seek to take centre stage. Yet, there are certain truths that God has provided just for times like this.
Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment. Until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.
Isaiah 26:20-21
This verse is one of those that has escaped my attention these past near 20 years of diligently reading the Bible. Yet, it caught my attention last week on 14 Feb Valentineś day, during my quiet time, and how apt a verse it is for a time like now.
Seems like a description of the Passover of the time of Moses, a friend commented when I shared this verse.
But possibly with a slight but significant variation. God is here to not just save those who believe and follow Him. But it is an opportunity for many who are neither warm nor cold, for those who do not know or believe Him, for those who don’t want to know Him and in fact for everyone, to know that there is indeed a Sovereign God and to turn to Him. For the days of His return is near, though only He knows when.
From this present shaking, many will lose what they value. It will be painful. But God understands. Yet it will be gainful, and often, only when we are stripped of what grips our hearts, will we understand the love of God, and the bigger picture, His love for us to save us from eternal damnation. Like Paul, some will have the veil lifted from their hearts through the shaking brought about by covid-19 and the consequent impact upon their financial well being. But true joy and inner peace and a life that not just will rise up and stand steadfast come what may, will only happen if we are willing to response like Apostle Paul who proclaimed
For me to live is Christ, to die is gain
Philippians 1:21
How many more bigger versions of circumstances like COVID-19 with its wide ranging repercussions does man need to go through before they will turn to God?
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
27 Feb 2020
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