Prayer For Comfort As We Face The Staggering Death Toll From COVID-19
COVID – DEATH TOLL
While we are all grateful for a decrease in the spread of the virus in a number of areas around the world, more than 7 million individuals have been sickened with the virus and we grieve with the families of the more than 407,000 people who have died from this disease. We want to continue to pray healing on the more than 3.2 million who are still sick with the virus, and give thanks for the 3.3 million who are now totally recovered.
I look at those numbers and they are staggering when we think of the impact on families and communities. Husbands have lost wives and wives their husbands. Children have lost their parents. Churches have lost their pastors. Communities have lost health care workers. I can’t even begin to make a complete list. Also, because of the threat of increased virus spread the ability to come together to comfort and support those who mourn and to give thanks for the life of the ones lost has been severely limited.
Into this very dark time it is wonderful today to be able to speak about what has given hope and healing and salvation to many more people than this virus has taken life from. Perhaps some of the most famous words in the Bible are these:
The hope we hold is that those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, even though they might die from this virus – and the truth is that at some point all of us will die from something – we all can live. We grieve but not as those who are without hope.
What makes our grieving different? God will bring all of us, with Jesus, to be in His loving presence forever.
So, let’s give thanks for the hope God gives us even in the middle of a time of great death.
Loving God, we are so grateful for You, for Your great plan for all of us. You know about the statistics I just quoted off more than any of us. You know every one of those people, all the particulars of every day of their life. You loved every one of them more even than the loved ones who are now grieving their separation from them in death because of the virus. Comfort and strengthen those who mourn. Help them to turn their hearts to You for strength to navigate through these very disconcerting days as they find life in this new season without their loved one.
While we grieve with those who grieve we also rejoice in the hope that we have Lord Jesus that all who put their faith and trust in you whose physical bodies rest in graves actually have been raised to new life through Jesus Christ.
And Lord, whether we die during this season or at some other time in the coming months and years, or whether we are still alive in the earth when Jesus Christ comes back – as He promised to do – we are so grateful that all of us together will be caught up in the clouds to mee the Lord and be with Him forever.
What an amazing day that is going to be when Jesus returns from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. What hope and joy that gives us today in these difficult days. You have a plan. You are working out that plan and it is a wonderful plan where we live with You forever.
Thank you again for Jesus who loved us so much and who came to this world, not to condemn us but to save us so we would not perish but would have eternal life. Amen
So my friends, let’s come alongside those who grieve the loss of loved ones, live with the concern of sick ones, and who need the comfort and strength of God to help them get through. Let’s love others as Christ as loved us.
While we are all grateful for a decrease in the spread of the virus in a number of areas around the world, more than 7 million individuals have been sickened with the virus and we grieve with the families of the more than 407,000 people who have died from this disease. We want to continue to pray healing on the more than 3.2 million who are still sick with the virus, and give thanks for the 3.3 million who are now totally recovered.
I look at those numbers and they are staggering when we think of the impact on families and communities. Husbands have lost wives and wives their husbands. Children have lost their parents. Churches have lost their pastors. Communities have lost health care workers. I can’t even begin to make a complete list. Also, because of the threat of increased virus spread the ability to come together to comfort and support those who mourn and to give thanks for the life of the ones lost has been severely limited.
Into this very dark time it is wonderful today to be able to speak about what has given hope and healing and salvation to many more people than this virus has taken life from. Perhaps some of the most famous words in the Bible are these:
For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:17
The hope we hold is that those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, even though they might die from this virus – and the truth is that at some point all of us will die from something – we all can live. We grieve but not as those who are without hope.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about
those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of
mankind, who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
What makes our grieving different? God will bring all of us, with Jesus, to be in His loving presence forever.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus
those who have fallen asleep in him.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
So, let’s give thanks for the hope God gives us even in the middle of a time of great death.
Loving God, we are so grateful for You, for Your great plan for all of us. You know about the statistics I just quoted off more than any of us. You know every one of those people, all the particulars of every day of their life. You loved every one of them more even than the loved ones who are now grieving their separation from them in death because of the virus. Comfort and strengthen those who mourn. Help them to turn their hearts to You for strength to navigate through these very disconcerting days as they find life in this new season without their loved one.
While we grieve with those who grieve we also rejoice in the hope that we have Lord Jesus that all who put their faith and trust in you whose physical bodies rest in graves actually have been raised to new life through Jesus Christ.
And Lord, whether we die during this season or at some other time in the coming months and years, or whether we are still alive in the earth when Jesus Christ comes back – as He promised to do – we are so grateful that all of us together will be caught up in the clouds to mee the Lord and be with Him forever.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you
that we who are still alive,
who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will certainly not precede
those who have fallen asleep.
We who are still alive and are left will
be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17
What an amazing day that is going to be when Jesus returns from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. What hope and joy that gives us today in these difficult days. You have a plan. You are working out that plan and it is a wonderful plan where we live with You forever.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
Thank you again for Jesus who loved us so much and who came to this world, not to condemn us but to save us so we would not perish but would have eternal life. Amen
So my friends, let’s come alongside those who grieve the loss of loved ones, live with the concern of sick ones, and who need the comfort and strength of God to help them get through. Let’s love others as Christ as loved us.
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