A prayer thanking God For His Help During A Time Of Ongoing Grim Statistics

 A year ago today we were giving thanks for a decrease in the spread of the virus in a number of areas around the world. 

Things did improve for a bit during the warmer months of summer and then well, things have changed a bit.   At that point in 2020 those sickened with the virus was about 7 million.  Today it’s  more than 175 million individuals have been sickened with the virus and we grieve with the families of the close to 4 million people who have died from this disease.  We want to continue to pray healing on the more than 17 million who are still sick with the virus, and give thanks for the 156 million who are now totally recovered and the close to 1 billion who have been totally vaccinated. 

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. 

As we said 365 days ago, I’m so grateful that we can again say today that into this very dark time it is wonderful 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

The hope we hold through tough times and good times is that those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, even though their life has been dramatically impacted by this virus – and they might even die from it -- we can all live with hope because God is good and His life transcends our troubles and even the grave. 

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 suffering and grieving different?  God will bring all of us, with Jesus, to be in His loving presence forever.  Our troubles are transient.  Separation from a loved one at a graveside is temporary. 

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

Our sorrow and suffering is very real and we do well to acknowledge the pain and seek God’s comfort and loving presence as we go through it.  But, we can always give thanks for the hope God gives us even in the middle of a time of great death.

So, let’s give thanks for the hope God gives us even in the middle of a time of great sadness, suffering, and even 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. Whether we are still alive in the earth or buried in a grave 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 meet the Lord and be with Him forever.

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.  1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

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 has loved us.