This year has been stressful due to COVID lockdowns.
We had to cancel our holiday plans, like going overseas. We also had to stay at home when it was an alert level three or four of the COVID lockdown. Therefore, I had to cancel visiting Australia and South Korea to see my friends and family in the end-of-term holidays of 2020. I even could not make plans for visiting my friend in Wellington.
In level two, there was a restriction on the number of people we could meet. The restriction number was 10.
During those alert levels and even in level one, we have had to wear face coverings when getting on public transports. Hence, it has been difficult for me to get to Waiheke Island by ferry.
However, despite how COVID-19 affects the world, God has been doing some amazing things.
Christian Perspective of COVID-19
When it was alert level four, three and two, churches decided to be in the digital age. For Windsor Park Baptist Church, this was no problem as they had been live streaming their services on Facebook and Youtube for a long time. These online platforms had been for those who could not make to the church.
Later, Windsor Park Baptist Church established the online campus. Other than COVID-19 epidemic, the church wanted to reach out to more people through the good news of Jesus Christ.
Although people could not gather together, especially in level four and three lockdowns, there were more opportunities to do life and faith together through online platforms and Zoom, a video-calling program. I could see God’s work of unifying people more together as the body of Christ.
When it was level two lockdown, and due to my family’s concern, I often could not go out and meet my friends. I had to video-call with them or wait until it was Sunday. Since I love people so much, it was a tough time for me.
As the level one approached, I was excited to go out and meet my friends. I was also excited to travel to Waiheke Island Baptist Church because I am a testimony speaker there. However, when wearing masks are required, I could not travel there because of my family’s concern. I even missed the church membership day, where I was being welcomed as a member of the church.
Another work God has been doing during COVID-19 is making us depend only on Him as He is the Sovereign God.
“For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.” (Habakkuk chapter 2, verse 14)
As my friend, Jennifer Marie, said in her thanksgiving video, the world has been standing still, so God has made us opportunities to realise what is the most important in our lives.
Of course, we are thankful for family and friends. I am thankful for graduating Mission Track, the two-year formation programme and for becoming one of the leaders at Waiheke Island Baptist Church as a testimony speaker.
Nonetheless, when we think about our current lives in this COVID world, we are grateful that we are alive. We are alive because of wearing face coverings to protect ourselves from the spray of respiratory droplets from others or the environment. It is also because of cleaning ourselves after going out and because of medical professions.
But, who created face coverings, homes, or restrooms? The people. But, who created people and their ancestors? These questions eventually lead to God, since He is the Creator of everything.
Therefore, since God is the creator of everything, He is the ultimate protector too. According to Ezekiel 37:4-10, God breathed life into humans. This means we are under His control.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” (Psalm chapter 24, verse 1)
Being under God’s control does not mean that He is forcing us to obey Him. He has given us the freedom to choose whether to praise and worship Him through faith in Jesus or not.
If we choose to praise and worship God through faith in Jesus, He has poured His Spirit into us as our counsellor. In fact, Jesus has been entirely human and divine at the same time, and He is waiting for us to praise and worship Him wholeheartedly.
The Hebrew term for Jesus is “Immanuel.” This Hebrew name is translated as “God is with us.” (Matthew chapter 1, verse 23)
Jesus proclaims in John 14:6-7,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
As Christmas time has been the time that Jesus was born out of the virgin Mary’s womb through the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s put our faith in Jesus and praise Him for coming into the world to represent who God is, and worship Him throughout our lives as our Lord and Saviour.
“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians chapter 8, verse 6)