"What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel." -Isaiah 31:1
My husband and I are amateur "Preppers."
For those of you who aren't sure what that means, a Prepper (also known as a Survivalist) is someone who prepares for a possible catastrophic disaster. Although we aren't hardcore Preppers like some, we do enjoy building bug-out bags and learning survivalist techniques. More than anything, it's just a hobby for us - at least, that's how I feel about it now.
I used to be a very paranoid person. I was fearful and anxious about everything. I regularly researched survivalist tactics, and was much more gung ho about prepping.
One day, I was reading a survivalist book, and something changed my whole perspective on prepping. The author was explaining that a person can spend years and tons of money prepping for a natural disaster (such as a tornado), but if instead there's a nuclear meltdown, or an economic collapse, that same person will not have any of the right tools for the unforeseen disaster and will possibly not be able to survive.
I remember thinking after that, "What's the point of even prepping at all, if no one has any clue about the future?"
Even though I still indulge in a little prepping, that one sentence in that book changed my outlook on the whole thing. Before, I thought of prepping as something I needed to do in order to keep my family safe. Now, it's something I do out of enjoyment with my husband. I am no longer putting my trust in prepping. It's just false security, because no one really knows the future.
Right now, there is a lot of fear regarding COVID-19. Malls and restaurants are shutting down. Salons are no longer operating. And now, churches, including my own, are closing their doors. The government has even asked people to report others who are not practicing social distancing.
Yesterday, I was reading Isaiah 31 for my morning devotion. The very first verse was,"What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel."
At the time this was written, Israel was not trusting in God for security. Instead, they were paying Egypt to protect them. But God kept warning them and asking them to turn to Him. He told them He would protect them. He said that He would bless them if they stopped worshiping other idols. But the Israelites weren't having it. They chose to put more faith in other people than they did in their own God. They continued to dismiss Isaiah's warnings, and ended up reaping the consequences when Egypt was unable to save them.
Are we in America doing the same thing as the Israelites did? Are we putting our faith in something other than God? Are we relying on the government to protect us, instead of asking God to protect us? Are we trusting that social distancing and self-quarantine will keep us and our loved ones safe, instead of asking God to keep us healthy? Are we putting more faith in doctors and scientists for a cure from this pandemic than we are in God, who already knows this virus inside and out?
Now, please don't misunderstand what I am trying to say. I am in no way saying that quarantine, doctors, or the government are bad things. In fact, they are all very useful. Quarantine is essential for people who are compromised or unwell. Doctors are wonderful people who are giving relief to the physically sick during this pandemic. The government is currently bailing out hundreds of people who have lost their jobs. So no, these are not bad things. The problem comes when we choose to put our faith in these things more than God.
My point is, we can't put our trust in doctors - they are only human. We can't put our trust in the government or in leaders - they are also only human. We can't put our trust in social distancing or quarantine - it only goes so far. We can't put our trust in prepping for disasters, like I did - no one knows the future. True security only comes from God, because He is all powerful.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." - Psalm 46:1
God, thank You for being so powerful and for loving us so much that we can come to You when we need help. Thank you for being present. Protect our country during this time, and please heal those who are sick. Give wisdom to our doctors, nurses, and leaders and hope to those who need it. We love You.
Amen