be still and know

By Meron Asnake  (WITHIN Devotional Contributor)

My news feed, as most of yours, is inundated with the latest development of COVID-19. There are countless articles on caught cases, overwhelmed medical facilities and staffs, shortage of equipment and gears, lack of cure, stay at home orders, loss of jobs, stock market crash, and etcetera.  The more I tuned in for the updates, the more I found myself fearful and anxious of my mortality. As a result, I have been trying to avoid several media outlets. Nonetheless, it does not stop the recommendations from coming to my news app. This time, I took the bait of a headline that read, “5 Fascinating Reads of the Weekend.” I clicked on the link and waited for stories to unravel on my phone screen; I scrolled to be captivated by their suggests as my eyes caught this article. It reads “How the Pandemic Will End: The U.S may end up with the worst COVID-19 outbreak in industrialized world. This is how it is going to play out.”

What a way to click bait readers with a statement of hope, which was quickly snuffed out by a bleak subtitle. In addition, it dares to declare a step by step narrative of its prediction. At this point, I decided to not read the entire article for sanity purposes. However, it was too late for me not feel the tightness in my chest. I began wondering if that was true. “Will it get worse before it gets better? What does that even mean? There are so many moving pieces; indeed, it is a dynamic virus. How long will it take for a cure?” The thoughts raced in my head and wanted to wage war in my mind. Our nations do not have the answers, and everyone seems to scramble to find cures. But God!

Amid our crisis, we have an all-knowing and all-powerful God, who is everywhere at the same time, to comfort us all. We have assurance in Lord and His sovereignty. He is NOT AT ALL surprised by the Pandemic; He is still in control, and He still reigns. We can trust in His unchanging character and allow ourselves to experience stillness in His presence. In doing so, we shall know He is God for He will be exalted among the nations; He will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10).

Thus, the tightness in our chest shall dissipate as we recognize God for who He is and take Him at His word as the Holy Spirit reveals. In addition, the word of God reminds us “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28 NLT). For believers, who have placed our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, this is an assured hope during and after COVID-19. It shall also awaken a zeal to share “the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which like Paul, we too have been entrusted” (1 Timothy 1:11). Lastly, it is our responsibility to humble our hearts, pray, seek God’s face, and repent, for He will heal our lands (2 Chronicles 7:14). Let’s be intentional in our free time like no other; we must dedicate time with the Lord and seek His face, so we can come out of this season better than how we got into it.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The weekly devotionals seek to encourage you to dig deeper into Scripture as you take the time to daily read, meditate, and internalize the verses in the devotional, along with the passages provided below to give greater context. Take the time to read them throughout the week (repetition is important) and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp what God is showing you about Himself, about you, and how to live in light of these truths. 

Passages to read/memorize/meditate:
Psalm 95
Matthew 10:28
Psalm 46:10
2 Chronicles 12: 14Questions to Reflect on:

1. What has this season has taught you about God?
2. What you have learned about yourself? Good? Or Bad? What areas can you grow in?
3. How has your prayer life changed as a result? How can you rejoice in this season?
4. What does it look like for your to Be Still and know that God is God?