Dear Friend,
Its amazing how time can fly, only yesterday we were welcoming 2020 and now we have to bid it farewell. We didn’t anticipate the changes that have taken place in the world and how they would affect us. COVID 19 will soon be history, but its impact will still be felt many years from now.
As believers, this is has truly been a testing time for the church. Not even in my wildest imagination did I ever think that a day would come when the whole world would come to a stand still. That may be easier to take in but the thought of churches closing and the new restrictions on places of worship is hard to imagine.
The disruptions to daily life are hard to comprehend; our faith has been stretched and tested. We are operating under a whole new set of rules with a lot of attention given to how we relate and interact even with our loved ones. Businesses have suffered, people have lost their jobs, pushing families to the edge and forcing us to adapt to the new changes.
One would wonder, where is God is all this? What is He saying to the church today? If there has ever been a time when we desperately needed the hand of God it is now. And yet amidst all the turmoil and global changes, the LORD changes not. The assurance of His love makes even greater sense today, in times of despair, may you remember that He remains the same, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” Malachi 3:6 NKJV
There is Hope, its not over yet. No dream is out of reach for the LORD to fulfil for you. We may have never anticipated COVID 19 and its impact but He did and that’s why He made a promise in His Word that nothing would separate us from His love. For as long as it is called today, you have a guarantee of His love.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:38 NKJV
COVID or no COVID, God loves you the same, the cross of Jesus took into account the events of 2020 when it procured salvation for you 2000 years ago at Calvary. This is your confidence for tomorrow, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31 NKJV
As you ponder the events that have taken place in 2020 remember that He loves you unconditionally. The world my not fully recover from COVID 19 but you will, Gods recovery mechanism was already factored into His Word for you, “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” Joel 2:25 KJV
What ever you have lost, you have a legal claim to recovery according to His Word. The insurance policy that God took out for you through His Son Jesus Christ was comprehensive by His blood. It covers all manner of losses, delays, setbacks, frustrations, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Let not thy heart be discouraged, for the LORD our God is able to restore you. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20 NIV
As you take stock of the year, consider His love for you, His promise of restoration, His insurance policy for you covered by the blood of Jesus. That should bring comfort to your heart, giving you Hope for tomorrow. Its not over for you, but simply the beginning of a new chapter, for He is going to do something new which wont be under the limitations of COVID 19. “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Isaiah 42:9 NKJV
Jesus Christ is your guarantee of things to come, don’t you worry, God is watching over you and your family. Things will get better because Jesus is on the throne.
“God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” Psalms 47:8 NKJV
Hold on to Jesus.
Have a blessed December and may it bring you Joy, Peace and Abundance.
Your friend
Pastor Mark A Odeke rsd
