COVID-19 Novel Encouragement Sample

Fix your eyes on God

Have you seen any funny messages like this going around recently?

Notice: Because of the epidemic, the company will return to normal work hours on February 3
Notice: Because of the epidemic, the company will return to normal work hours on February 10
Notice: Because of the epidemic, the company will return to normal work hours on February 17
Notice: There is no more company – no need to come to work
 

When will we actually get back to work? When will we actually be able to leave home and be safe? Isn't this what everyone is asking and thinking about at this time? No matter whether you're working from home, or going back to the office, how is your heart? Is it full of fear and worry? Or is it full of peace and joy? How can our hearts be full of peace and joy in the face of such a grave epidemic?

In the time since the virus broke out, I've heard about and seen many people staring every day at their phones, Ipads, and computers to keep track of information like how many more people were diagnosed, how many more people died, or whether any of those diagnosed live in their complex. When we keep our gaze fixed on things that will negatively impact us, our hearts will certainly be influenced.   Of course, we will be filled with fear and worry. Oh no! We're almost out of masks? We're almost out of food? I'm supposed to go to work tomorrow – should I go? As questions like these cloud our minds, we will discover how helpless, pitiful, and weak we are!

As Christians, what should we do? Where should we fix our eyes? We should fix our eyes on the Creator of all things in whom we trust, on the one true God who controls the universe. When we fix our eyes on God, He will certainly come to help us!

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

This great Lord who made heaven and earth will come to help us. How will the Lord help us? The psalmist talks about five things the Lord will not allow to demonstrate His help:

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:3)
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4)
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. (Psalm 121:6)

The psalmist also talks about four things the Lord will keep, or protect, to demonstrate His help:

The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade on your right hand. (Psalm 121:5)
The Lord will keep you from all evil; the Lord will keep your life. (Psalm 121:7)
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in. (Psalm 121:8a)

When the psalmist talks about things that the Lord will not allow or that the Lord will keep, these things are promises God has made to us. The God we trust is not like a human, who might look at the pros and cons of a situation before deciding whether to help. This Creator God is no false god, who looks at how much money we have offered before deciding to help us. The God we trust is not that kind of god. The only requirement the Lord has for us is that we fix our eyes on Him, that we let Christ rule in our hearts, that we trust His promises, and that we obey the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we do this, the help and protection of the Lord will be with us now and forever!

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:8)

This God who made the earth and who lives from now until eternity. This God wants to use His mighty power to protect you. Whether you are going in or coming out, He will be with you, protect you, and watch over you from now until eternity. This is the promise of God for everyone who believes in Him and who fixes their eyes on Him!

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Luke 21:33)

God certainly will keep his promises to the end!

Friends, let us not fix our eyes on this world. This world is full of lies, treachery, and wars. The more time we spend searching for information about the epidemic online, the more we will become confused and our hearts will become alarmed. There is no way that we can really see the full situation, right? Let us fix our eyes on God!

The Lord will keep you from all evil, the Lord will keep your life. (Psalm 121:7)

As Christians, we can know clearly that we are travelers on this earth. Even though there are Christians who have passed away due to the virus, we know that God promises to protect our life. The life that God is talking about is the eternal life that God has given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!

Friends, let us turn our eyes from this world to Jesus and steadfastly trust His protection and His promises. Everyone who has Jesus within them will then have peace, joy, and eternal life!

Just as the song “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” says: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

Our prayer: God, thank You for allowing us to experience this epidemic. God, please help us not to look at the circumstances surrounding us, but let us always keep our eyes fixed on You, and to steadfastly trust and follow You!

By Pastor Han, Beijing