But God Produced Good

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day].” Genesis 50:20 AMP

No matter where you turn, chances are you will see or hear news about the Coronavirus and the current state of our country and the world. There’s not a post on social media, a meme, a video, a news article or segment that doesn’t speak to a state shutdown, quarantine measures, and “stay-at-home” orders. Schools are closed, people are without work, unemployment is at an all-time high, and people are dying. No one can gather or visit the elderly, the imprisoned or the sick; church buildings are closed; and everyone is admonished to practice social distancing.

But you already knew all this, I’m sure. People are on edge and acting out in hysteria, without hope or an end in sight. Everything this virus has purposed has been to steal joy, cultivate fear, destroy hope, and breed division – even among the Body of Christ. And, I can easily tell you that there is hope and our hope (of course) is in God. Most of us who are believers know this. But I’d rather share the thought God gave me this morning while I was looking outside my bay window, drinking my coffee. He brought Genesis 50:20 to my heart which summed up my observations from this past week.

In the midst of mass hysteria, these past couple of weeks, I’ve seen people “come” together more than before. I’ve seen most of the body of Christ rise up and “do church” differently, whether it was through social media, phone, or video conferencing. I’ve seen leaders using technology to build community and celebrities reading books to kids on live streaming. Community. Unity. I’ve seen teachers encourage their students and create music videos to brighten their days. I’ve seen regular people use social media to get back what the enemy wanted us to lose – hope, unity, strength.

You see, this wicked virus meant evil for us. But what the enemy didn’t count on was the resilience of God’s people. And, that anything he throws our way, God will turn it for our good because, while this is a time of despair for many and we’ve lost many, all is not lost. Here’s what this time has allowed to happen: it has allowed people who may have been overworked to rest, parents who never had time for their kids to be present, husbands and wives who were growing apart to learn new things about each other, relationships to be restored, a son to talk to his dad after their huge argument months ago, people who were too shy to step out in faith, business plans to be written, books to be birthed, ministries to form. But, most of all, this time has caused people to search for God, to draw near to Him because He is where our hope lies and from where our help comes. And, in Joseph’s words, He has indeed “produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we bless you. Lord, we magnify You. We lift You up, God. You are great and greatly to be praised. Thank You for a fresh revelation. Thank You for a new day! Lord, You alone are our hope, our help, our refuge, our light, and our salvation! Lord, You said in Your word that no sickness or disease shall come near our homes, no evil will befall our dwelling, no weapon formed against us shall prosper. And, Father, we believe You. We stand on every promise of health, healing and prosperity for our lives. We lift up every man, woman, and child who is being affected, directly or indirectly, by this virus and we declare their latter will be greater than their first. We thank You in advance for how You are turning it all for their good and we give You all glory, honor, and praise in Jesus’ name! Amen!