“These are the times that try men’s souls” by Thomas Paine comes to my mind with our current coronavirus outbreak. In modern day vernacular, it is an uncertain time. Most of you know that in January 2019, our youngest daughter, Victoria Leigh, moved to China to teach English. It was such a happy time for her, and me, to watch her adventure in a new country unfold. But with trepidation from being over 7,177 miles away, I also watched the coronavirus outbreak in the land where she was now living and working in unfold. News reports were not our only sources of updates, as friends (with all sorts of connections to information) shared much that caused grave concern. As a parent, the beginning of the outbreak was a trying and uncertain time for me as a mama.
And now the very virus we monitored closely from a distance has become up-close and personal to our own homeland. The situation has impacted almost everyone I know. We are concerned for those who are most susceptible to sickness. We are beginning to see the livelihoods of people affected. The markets are dipping. Business owners and leaders are making tough decisions. Schools and universities and social clubs and churches are pausing activities. Routines and responsibilities are changing rapidly.
“These are the times that try men’s souls” comes to my mind again. The times we are living in are uncertain. But, we know One who is certain. What do we do in uncertain times? When times are tough? When things as we know it seem to resemble no sense of normalcy? When what we have always counted on as certain, is now uncertain?
You know, when the foundation seems to start shaking,
When all we know seems to start quaking,
There is One who is certain.
One who will not change, JESUS, is His name.
I am thankful that in uncertain times, I have a certain GOD.
He is always available to listen.
His Word always gives me hope and comfort.
He never changes. He is always certain.
His love, and ways, cannot be contained.
Oh His love, and ways, cannot be contained.
Hold on to Him, dear friends. Let the goodness of those last few lines sink deep into the recess that don’t know what is even going to happen in uncertain times;
GOD’s love, and His ways, cannot be contained.
His love to us knows no end. We will not go to the store of GOD’s love and find empty shelves. We will not go to the school of GOD and find it closed for a semester. We will not go to the bank of GOD’s love and find it to be in a negative spiral. We will not go to the hospital of GOD and find that we can’t get in because it is on lockdown.
GOD is certain. In sickness, in heartache, in uncertainty, I can say with all confidence:
GOD is certain.
In these times, I will choose to believe Him by reading His Word, by talking to Him, and listening to Him, in prayer, by trusting His will and His way. Will you join me today in declaring:
We trust You, GOD.
When all seems uncertain,
We trust a certain GOD.
Amen.