By George McCulloh
There have been instances in the world where people were impacted with situations or circumstances that caused them great suffering. During those times, those who were strong came to the rescue of those who were struggling. People in the world have supported those who needed food in other nations; those who needed shelter and those who needed words of encouragement from the word of the Lord. Now, we are faced with a pandemic that shows no favoritism; it has reached across continents and the world is suffering. We need each other now more than ever.
During my over 72 years of living, I have seen the United States serve as a big brother to other nations. She would lead in the fight for freedom and democracy. She was strong then and is strong now. However, she no longer can say that she has the solution for others because she is suffering like every other nation in the world, and like the other nations she too is looking for a solution to the problem that we all are facing.
This virus that has attacked the world does not care where you live or how much money you have or do not have. It has attacked all of us. It has crossed racial and ethnic lines. Because of the gravity of the matter before us, we do not have time to cast blame on anyone. Now is the time to come together as one so that we might overcome this pandemic which has no respect of persons.
To do this, we must listen to those who have given instructions to us. We must obey the Lord and the law of the land. In Genesis Chapter 7, the Lord instructed Noah and his family to come into the Ark that he had built. Judgment upon the world was soon to come. People did not listen and were consequently drowned in the flood. In Exodus Chapter 12, we read about the 10th plague that came upon Egypt. The children of Israel were specifically instructed to shelter in place and to place the blood of an unblemished lamb upon the two side posts where they resided. However, because the Egyptians did not believe in the God of Moses and did not heed his warning, every firstborn child of the Egyptians died, but the Israelite children were spared because the blood of the lamb had been smeared on their door frames.
Times have changed and so has the situation, but our God is still the same. We have been asked to shelter in place until this pandemic has passed. However, there are those among us who are not following directions; thus, they are causing danger to come upon each of us. It only takes one person to be disobedient to bring trouble upon all of us. This is evident from the book of Genesis when Adam disobeyed God and death came upon ALL of us. We need to follow directions.
Over the years I have learned to look through the darkness and see the sunshine of hope shining through. I see it in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic. I am grateful for our healthcare providers and first responders. I’ve seen first hand how much they care and how they put themselves in harm’s way to help others. I thank God for each of them, and I pray that He will keep all of them safe as they help those who cannot help themselves.
On a personal note, my wife and I have called upon individuals who work in fields helping people in Lee and Chambers County, and their response brought tears to our eyes. We were faced with a situation where we needed the Alabama Highway Patrol, the Opelika Police Department, Lee County DHR, Chambers County DHR, East Alabama Mental Health, Chambers County Sheriff Sid Lockhart, The Traveling Angels and a few other agencies to help us solve a problem to which we had no solution.
They did not ask us for money or tell us that what we were asking was out of their jurisdiction. They gave us the help that we needed so that we could help another person. All of these agencies came together to help someone who could not help herself. This would not have happened if these agencies were territorial. God sees your labor and He will reward you for all you do.
I know each person in these agencies. I have worked with them over the years and could call their names, but that is not important. What is important today is the fact that God knows their names. He sees all you do and because of that, your reward, which is to come, is greater than that which man can give you. Thank each of you for your service.
I’ve been preaching and teaching the gospel for a long time. I have had the pleasure of pastoring the congregation where the Lord has placed me for over thirty-two years. James says, “Faith without works is dead.”
I see people’s faith at work. I see the gospel working in the world. Let me encourage you, “Keep the faith, this too shall pass.”
McCulloh is the senior pastor of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist church, which is located at 2000 S. Uniroyal Road.