As everyone knows, a big, big part of the world right now is social media. Due to the virus, it is becoming an even larger part of the world as currently that is how many people are communicating with each other. Schools are scrambling to use different social media platforms to reach and teach their students and even many businesses have turned to social media and other apps to communicate with their customers and clients. Just today, my church held an Administrative Council meeting via Zoom. The world and the ways we communicate are quickly evolving.
What I about to share with you is PURELY MY OPINION! Feel free to agree or disagree, but it is my opinion. While there are some people that MAY feel that God is punishing the world by creating this virus, or even that the devil has created it to bring an end to everyone, my opinion is this. This virus is the result of people doing the wrong things in the world, sin. When Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden, sin entered this world and it has been full of bad things, including viruses and diseases that kill, since then. God did not create it, nor did the devil. What I do believe however, is that the devil is USING the virus to try and draw people away from God. I believe he is behind the negativism on social media, behind the volatile political structure and behind the FEAR that is rampant right now due to this virus. Never in history, that I have heard of or at least in my memory, have churches been forced to be closed. The devil is just ecstatic at the thought that God's word is not being preached from the pulpit and that fear and hatred are going rampant on the internet and social media sites.
What he may not have bargained for is that churches and other Christian organizations are using those same social media sites to SPREAD God's word of peace, encouragement, and love. They are using one of the devil's own tools (again my opinion) against him. I have seen more posts with Bible verses than ever before on the social media platforms. Churches that before were not able to or had no plan to do live streaming or even pre-recording sermons and talks are now doing just that. A few reports I have heard in my area after the first Sunday that ALL churches were closed indicated that the videos and live streams that were put out had double or more than double views than the regular attendees on a Sunday morning. More people than ever are being exposed to the Word of God.
Even though the circumstances surrounding this verse are different, I feel they are still appropriate to this circumstance. Genesis 50:20 says, "Even though you intended to harm me, God intended it only for good, and through me, He preserved the lives of countless people, as He is still doing today." In this instance Joseph is speaking to his brothers and declaring that what they did to him in an effort to get rid of him, God actually used for good on behalf of Joseph's family and in fact the whole of the Jewish nation. I think (my opinion) we can use this verse today to indicate that what the devil has intended for harm, God is using for good!
Besides the fact that perhaps even more people than before are able to hear the Word of God, more people than before are slowing down, stopping, and spending more time with family. This event has caused people in some cases to re-prioritize their lives, their values, and what they hold most dear! My prayer for all as we are hopefully over the hump of this virus soon, is that everyone will be well, that families will be well, and that everyone will be able to focus on God and His provisions.
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