An Anchor During Troubled Seasons (by Hazel Isaac)

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)

What a unique and uncertain season we are living in. It has been especially tumultuous for us as a family. My mother-in-law’s health had taken a bad turn early this year and from March, she has had to have dialysis done at least twice a week as my husband described in an earlier blog. Making trips to the hospital in a season like this is especially risky and I was extremely worried about my family’s health. It was a fear that seemed unrelenting given the grim news we kept hearing around us.

For the past several days, I was reading John 17 also known as Jesus’ high-priestly-prayer. As I read verse 15, suddenly our whole situation came as a flash before my eyes – when my mother-in-law was admitted, the helplessness, the fear, the strain on our every day sense of well-being as a family. This is what it said:

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:15, NIV)

This was when I felt a personal breakthrough. I realised that I had to declare to my fear that “The one in me is greater than the one outside” and that He is mindful of me and my situation. This means that even if the Corona Virus attacks Beilsy, my husband or my family, our life is still in His Hands for nothing is hidden from Him.

From that moment I and my family found freedom from stress and fear. In fact I saw changes in how Beilsy and I face this dilemma.

I feel these words spoken by Jesus is so apt for the current scenario. Reason being, Jesus is fully aware of the evil in the world. But he notably doesn’t ask the Father to remove them from the world but that he protects them from the evil one.

He knew that they would be persecuted for their faith, face poverty, rejection, love and still envisioned how they would bring healing to the lepers and the broken. Yet he wanted them to stay in the world and share the Gospel showing the power of faith through love and humility in the power of God.

It is difficult to face the situation but it is even more difficult to face the temptations that accompany it – the temptation to give up, leave or to avoid people suffering with diseases like leprosy or in our case, the present virus. Jesus knew that these temptations are too strong for humans to overcome alone which is why He asks His father to “Protect them from the evil one”.

I am so glad that Jesus knows that we will have to through tough times. He is mindful of us, he is with us, standing in the gap before the Father on our behalf so that we may not give up.

If you are facing fear, pain, or temptation, remember Jesus’ heart goes out to you as well. He welcomes you to rest in his care for you, both in this life and the one to come.

#COVID19 #Faith #trust