DEVOTION – DAY 151

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 “Looking To God For Help”

2 Cor.1:8-10 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us.”

Paul experienced many sufferings. His life was often in danger as he travelled throughout Asia Minor, starting new churches and sharing the gospel to others. At times, he felt that he was facing deadly peril. However, he was thankful to God. Paul considered his sufferings as opportunities for God to get his attention, to rely on God and not on himself. Paul knew that God would not disappoint him. Just as God had helped him in the past, God will also help him in any troubles he faced.

In the same way, I received news recently that someone I knew died from Covid-19. Just as one church member fully recovered from Covid-19, another became infected and was admitted into Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the local hospital. More and more people we knew had to go for testing of the virus because they feared that they had been in close contact with someone who had the virus. The daily number of newly infected cases continue to rise alarmingly. So, we are gripped by fear and we feel like Paul facing a sentence of death. The virus can infect anyone of us. Anyone with the virus face the possibility of death.

So, what do we do? We follow the example of Paul. Paul looked to God. In 2 Cor.1:3, Paul looked to God, the Father, who is Compassionate and the God of all Comfort, who comforts us in our times of trouble. Paul prayed to God to ask Him to deliver him from his troubles just as He had done so in the past. Paul knew his hopes in God was never misplaced. In the same way, none of us can avoid the virus totally because it is an unseen enemy. People we meet in the streets may be infected with the virus and show no symptoms and they unknowingly pass it to others. This is our deadly peril. We are helpless and instead of trying to manage on our own and feel stressed, we are to draw close to God. Like Paul, we cry out to Him and place our hope in Him. Just as He had delivered us in the past, He will deliver us from this present Covid-19 pandemic. God will replace our fears with His peace and comfort just as He did so for Paul.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you as the God of compassion and the God of all comfort. We humbly ask that you hear our cries and please help us to trust in you to protect us and our family members, our church family from the Covid-19 virus and its variants for your glory. We ask this in Jesus Christ great name. Amen.

Questions

  1. What are some of your fears as you faced the Covid-19 pandemic? Share.
  2. How has God sustained you since the pandemic started in early 2020?
  3. Will you share your prayer needs about the pandemic with someone and will you pray for each other?
  4. How has God helping you in the past, enable you to trust in Him to help you now as you face your present crisis? Discuss.