COVID-19 Novel Encouragement Sample

An Invitation into His Presence

A tsunami of provoking thoughts, challenging questions, and the mere visualization of realities beyond his understanding almost crippled the psalmist Asaph; it almost crippled his ministry, his theology, and even his faith. He could not rationalize what he was seeing; he just could not make any sense out of it. He was envious, full of anger, and he was in great agony. Filled with pain, pain so deep and unbearable, he felt like a beast before God. The turmoil seemed to build up and escalate until he finally had to make his choice.

Since the start of 2020, the world around us has been in a state of frenzied chaos. Global headlines have been filled with tragic and fearful news: from the deadliest seasonal flu in the U.S. that cost more than ten thousand lives, to the deadly bushfire in Australia that is still burning, followed by an invasion of many thousands of bats. What about the unprecedented locust invasion in Eastern Africa in a land that is already stricken with extreme poverty and famine? The tragic news does not stop here; volcano eruptions in the Philippines, earthquakes that shocked Puerto Rico, extreme snow that swept Canada. And now the Coronavirus among us. How do we make sense out of all this? How can we understand and still experience real peace and rest in our souls?

“Until I went into the sanctuary of God” Psalm 73:17a (NKJV)

The Sanctuary of God: a place of prayer, worship, listening to God's word, fellowship; a place of repentance, atonement and remission of sin through the blood of Christ Jesus and most importantly, where the Holy Presence of God dwells.

Asaph made his choice. He chose God over himself. Asaph chose to go to God for counsel instead of indulging in his own presumptions and speculations. He chose faith over fear. There, he chose to trust in the heart of the Lord: that He is good even when Asaph could not see the hands of God moving in his circumstances. He chose to listen to God and not to go on wallowing in self-pity by listening to himself. He made the most important and wisest decision of his life when he chose to go into the presence of God.

There, God's light streamed unto him, in which he saw light. He gained not mere entrance into the place of worship but also entrance unto the presence of the Person whom he was worshipping. He experienced a heavenly communion so tangible, so powerful, but also so personal that he realized his foolishness and also God's loving-kindness and goodness upon him. When he came to God for counsel, God gave him wisdom and also comfort; true peace and rest now abided in him, because Christ abided in him and with him.

“When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy,
I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence.
I'm still in your presence, but you've taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me.
You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth! Psalm 73:23-28 (MSG)

When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful. Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again. But I'm in the very presence of God--oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home. God, I'm telling the world what you do!”

The Triumphs of Faith

"Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality--faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]." Hebrews 11:1 (AMP)

In times like this, where and how will you choose to live your life? What will you choose to base it on? I hope you will choose to seek His Presence because He is there waiting for you. He has everything that you need and He longs to meet you face to face. He not only loves you, but He likes to spend quality time with you. Will you go to the secret place and seek His face?

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

Praying for you and believing with you.

Prayer for today: Thank you, God! It's so good to be reminded that you are waiting for me to come. I'm coming now - I want to spend time in your presence!

By Pastor Yan Lijie, Beijing