THEME: “TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, TOUGH PEOPLE DO”
Read Ecclesiastes 7:13-14
TOUGH TIMES MAY BE FROM GOD
Key Verse: “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:14 NLT)
God may orchestrate tough times for a purpose. That is to say that, the coronavirus was a wake-up call from God. Some Christians believe that God is so good that he cannot permit evil to happen. So, when hard times arise, they claim it is not from God. Our text for today gives a balance of times of prosperity and times of difficulties.
When the Coronavirus started, many Christians, especially evangelicals, were at a loss whether it was from God or not. But when a prominent evangelical, John Piper weighed in into the matter to say that it was from God, then others fell in line. Read his line of argument that made others agree with him.
“The sovereignty of God is all-encompassing and all-pervasive. He holds absolute sway over this world. He governs wind (Luke 8:25), lightning (Job 36:32), snow (Ps. 147:16), frogs (Ex. 8:1–15), gnats (Ex. 8:16–19), flies (Ex. 8:20–32), locusts (Ex. 10:1–20), quail (Ex. 16:6–8), worms (Jonah 4:7), fish (Jonah 2:10), sparrows (Matt. 10:29), grass (Ps. 147:8), plants (Jonah 4:6), famine (Ps. 105:16), the sun (Josh. 10:12–13), prison doors (Acts 5:19), blindness (Ex. 4:11; Luke 18:42), deafness (Ex. 4:11; Mark 7:37), paralysis (Luke 5:24–25), fever (Matt. 8:15), every disease (Matt. 4:23), travel plans (James 4:13–15), the hearts of kings (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21), nations (Ps. 33:10), murderers (Acts 4:27–28), and spiritual deadness (Eph. 2:4–5)—and all of them do his sovereign will. God, therefore sent the coronavirus. This is not a season for sentimental views of God. It is a bitter season. And God ordained it. God governs it. He will end it. No part of it is outside his sway. Life and death are in his hand. Why should I receive the news of God’s sovereignty over the coronavirus, and over my life, as sweet teaching? The secret, I said, is knowing that the same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn’t, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it. In other words, if we try to rescue God from his sovereignty over suffering, we sacrifice his sovereignty to turn all things for good.”
If God allowed tough times to come for his purpose, then we cannot escape going through it. It will eventually turn out for our good.
PRAYER: Father, I agree that “the same sovereignty that could stop the Coronavirus, yet doesn’t, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it.” Sustain me, Oh God.
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