How To Pray In The
Midst Of A Global Pandemic
2 Chronicles 7:13-14
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or
command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence
among My people,
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble
themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and
heal their land.
We are now in the midst of a global COVID-19 pandemic.
Like other natural disasters and catastrophes, many people are
tracing only the natural causes. For example, before a tornado or a
hurricane strikes, the meteorologists and climatologists will employ
many tools and equipment that are available to trace the root
causes. They are very sophisticated, monitoring and studying everything
from various satellite images and radar readings. As a result, they
can make a fairly accurate prediction for the upcoming weather. But
they can only make a good forecast, and sometimes their forecast
can be wrong.
Now many epidemiologists and virologists are researching the root
causes of the coronavirus. Is this virus bioengineered in a
laboratory in Wuhan? Is it caused by a bat sold in a wet market in
Hubei? Or is this virus imported from some other countries outside
China? They are still researching and debating with all sorts of
theories and reasonings. And nothing is conclusive now.
Many of these scientists will only focus on the natural causes.
Maybe nature is now fighting back against mistreatments and abuses
by mankind over the years. The things of nature, like birds, fishes, animals
and plants, have suffered many kinds of sicknesses and diseases till now.
Romans 8:22
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth
pangs together until now.
As the laws of nature are at work, the laws of God are also in full
operation! The invisible laws of God are controlling the visible
laws of nature! Very often, many Christians only see God as a
God of love. But many of us cannot relate to a God of wrath or
judgment.
When great disasters of a global scale strikes, many Christians
believe it is the work of Satan. But who caused the Great Flood in
the days of Noah? Who brought the ten plagues in the days
of Moses? And who will send the seven final plagues in the Book of
Revelation?
Genesis 6:5-8
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually.
6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He
was grieved in His heart.
7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of
the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Exodus 9:13-14
13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand
before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the
Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me,
14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart,
and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that
there is none like Me in all the earth.
Revelation 15:1
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels
having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is
complete.
Like the meteorologists, climatologists, epidemiologists and
virologists, many of us have become very sophisticated in our
human and natural reasonings. And it affects how we pray in
this global pandemic.
Some called for a million prayers to be offered so that God will
answer their cries for help. Some sent decrees and declarations
demanding God to do this and that. Some were so powerful even to be
able to command Satan to stop his evil works. But sad to say, there is no
Biblical basis for all of these.
Firstly, God don't like repetitive prayers.
Matthew 6:7
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.
For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Asking people to repeat and pray the same prayers is like saying
that God won't hear until a lot of people pray. A prayer chain is
like a prayer bead used by other religions. Often it is mindless
chanting. Saying the words without knowing what they say.
Secondly, when we pray, let our words be few. Keep our ears open and
let our hearts be still before the Lord. Don't just blabber non-stop
before God as He is in heaven and we are here on earth.
Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.
Thirdly, the earnest prayer of a righteous man has great and
wonderful results. But the real problem is this: Are there any
righteous men and women among us? Is there a righteous man or woman
who will stand in the gap and pray on behalf of the land?
James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another,
that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous
man avails much.
Ezekiel 22:30
So I sought for a man among them who would make a
wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land,
that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
Isaiah 59:16
He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
When He sees that there is no righteous man to intercede on
behalf of the land, He Himself steps in and prays in His own
righteousness. Praise the name of the LORD!
Fourthly, if it is the LORD Who shuts up the heavens so that
there is no rain, or if it is He who commands the locust swarms to
eat up all of our crops, or if it is He who sends an epidemic among
us, what can
we do?
2 Chronicles 7:13-14
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the
locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
14
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and
pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will
hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
We cannot demand and command the Lord to do this and that through
our willful declarations and presumptuous decrees. We must humble
ourselves and pray, search for Him, and turn from our wicked ways.
As we pray with true humility and repentance, and seek His face, He promises that He will hear us from
heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.
And our Lord is faithful to do what He says in His Word.
Written on: 27 April 2020