When Will this Pandemic Stop?

This is a post from our elder in CFC Bro. Joe Tale who are now inside CFC Vatican office in Rome Italy... 

When Will this Pandemic stop?

With a continuing spread of this pandemic in many more places and affecting many more people, I am sure many are praying and hoping for this pandemic to be stopped soon.

Some authorities have warned that this will get worse before it gets better. US President Trump mentioned the pandemic will be with us up to July or August. The Singapore Prime Minister mentioned we could continue to have this for a year more. There are some encouraging news, the trial for a vaccine have started a few days ago in Washington State.

But in the end, nobody really knows. We can only pray for those working on the vaccines and the cure to be able to find these soon, and for the Lord to bless these efforts.

This pandemic has hit close to home. A fellow full time pastoral worker in CFC died two days ago in Manila. A close family friend also just died in Manila. Some more close friends in CFC are stricken or are being tested for the virus, in Italy, in the US, and in the Philippines. We pray for their healing.

We are saddened, but we should keep up with our prayers. Our sadness should not discourage us or slow us down. We should intensify our prayers even more. That this pandemic shall end.

This brings to mind what the Lord says through the Prophet Isaiah:
"My word is like the snow and the rain that comes down from the sky to water the earth.
They make the crops grow and provide seed for planting and food to eat.
So also will be the word that I speak-
It will not fail to do what I plan for it:
it will do everything I send it to do."
- Isaiah 55:10-11

What is God's specific word that He is sending to us in this time of pandemic? What is the word that will not go back to Him until it achieves what He plans for it to do.

Given what is happening in the world today, among peoples, among nations even, I believe He is reminding us of something very basic, something He has told us from the time of Moses. This is embodied in the first of His 10 Commandments: 

"I am the Lord your God who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. Worship no god but me." Deuteronomy 5:6-7

How many still observe this now? How many act as god in so many aspects? How many nations play god and approve of abortion and other means that kill and end so many lives? How many play god and disobey the plan of God for marriage and family? How many worship other gods, in the form of wealth and power? How many control and manipulate situations as if they were gods? The list can go on and on.

Many of us probably know the 10 Commandments by heart, but many might not know of the Lord's warning for disobedience.

"If you do worship other gods, the Lord's anger will come against you like fire and will destroy you completely, because the Lord your God who is present with you, tolerates no rivals." Deuteronomy 6:15

I believe these are times that the Lord wants us to go back to Him and recognize by our actions that He is indeed God, and that there should be no other gods besides Him. These are the times when we also speak out and remind others about it.
Let us do our part by asking forgiveness for the times we ourselves played god, and for the times we kept quiet when others were doing so.

As we do so, we will see this pandemic stop, by God's power and might.