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Some time ago I was leaving my family at home while I drove to the airport for a business trip overseas. I prayed as I went. "Dear Lord, please watch over my family while I'm gone." It was one of the few times I felt like I actually heard a response from God. "Did you think it has been you watching over them when you were there?" And I was reminded of my own arrogance. It has always been God.

We live in difficult circumstances. We're rightfully concerned (to varying degrees) over this whole "How many are going to die from this virus?" problem. Our government is responding strongly with "Don't even breathe on one another" to help ease our fears. A lot of us are out of work, isolated from friends, family, church, all the lifelines we've been accustomed to in times of crisis. And at the back of everyone's mind is the constant, "Am I the next to get this thing?" and more. "Am I going to lose my job?" "Is one of my loved ones going to get sick?" "Will someone I love die?" Lots of frightening questions brought on by this virus.

So we pray. We pray for guidance. Guidance for ourselves, for our leaders, for the doctors, for our loved ones. We pray for protection -- protection for all we pray for guidance for. We ask God if it is His will can we keep our jobs, our health, our friends and family, our lives.

And God says, "Did you think it was you before this? Did you think I wasn't providing guidance before this? Did you think I wasn't providing protection before this? Did you think you were keeping your own job, your own health, your own friends and family, your own life?" Because the fact is we tend to be arrogant and it was always God.

And it will always be God. God is still on the throne (Psalm 93:1-2). In Him all things consist (Colossians 1:17). He works all things according to His will (Ephesians 1:11). All things are from Him and through Him and to Him (Romans 11:36). Not a sparrow falls without Him (Matthew 10:29). He is still working all things together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28-29).

So go ahead and pray. We're told to do that (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That's good. He offers peace that passes understanding when we pray (Philippians 4:6-7). Do that. But keep in your mind and your heart the comforting fact that He was watching over us before this started, He is watching over us during it, and He'll be watching over us afterward. We feel out of control right now (because we are), but, as it turns out, we're not more out of control than we were before because He has always been that control. And there's no safer place to be than in the hands of the Father.

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Washed by the Water of the Word