Facing Another Heightened Alert

Now, enough has been said about the KTV cluster. Be it disappointment, anger, what has happened has happened. And now this cluster spreads to the fishery port and the markets, with many more potential clusters springing up and now we have new daily infected cases like never before. And because of this, Singapore is back to the heightened alert with strict distancing measures imposed again.

Now, we know sin doesn’t just happen once. It always has far reaching consequences and repercussions. But the question to ask now is:

What does this mean for Christ believers?

Are we to fear or to grumble like the rest of the people?

Or are we to just lament and stop going to church, while we wait for the situation to get better?

Now, I believe if we are not directed by the truth of God, our perspective of the current situation and response to it will be very much like every common man on the street.  

But let us dive into the instruction of the word in these desperate times. First of all, the Lord did not tell the righteous to fret when he punishes the wicked. <Pro 3:25-26> instructs us:

“Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared”.

Now, when the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, HE didn’t tell Abraham to fear. When the Lord consumed the rebellious Korah and his followers with fire, HE didn’t tell Moses or Aaron to fear. Rather, God stirred their hearts to pray for the people of God through His display of anger.

Now, people who are devoted to the Lord do not fear when disasters overtake people around them. As <Ps 91:7-8> says:

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

Now, these are real promises that God has given, but to who my brethren? Not for those who live in disbelief and make an idolatry out of the Christian faith, but to those who understand the will of God and walk close to Him. These are not promises meant for those who only put their hopes in this life and yearn only for a secure and smooth sailing life but for people who live this life seeking the kingdom of God and interceding for His people.  

So my brethren in Christ, as the active clusters increases, I want you not to fret like the wicked. I do not want you to harbor the mentality of the Israelites, whose heart is always filled with fear and apprehension when disasters or plague struck. If you are right with God, you shall not fear, nor grumble like the rest. Rather, you know this is the time to set yourselves apart, get down on your knees to remember those who are lost in fear and helplessness.

Now, as a true believer of God, we have to be clear why God allowed these increased infections around us. After reading the Bible and praying through, I receive four answers from the Lord and hope that it will bring you clarity about our current situation.

First, never be complacent just because we have a good and responsible government watching over us. As much as the health authorities is giving us good direction, we must first and foremost be directed by God. As <Psalms 118:8> says:

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Second, never be afraid to continue with worshipping God physically in His house even in these times. Now have anyone asked what is the Lord teaching us throughout this one and a half year of pandemic? Each time when the cases rises, believers cease going to church and stay at home. I mean this is the natural thing to do in the beginning. But if this is how we are going to react all the time, then it doesn’t make any sense. If you are still going to work, if you’re still going to school, then why shouldn’t you be gathering with the saints of God to pray for each other, and pray for the nations in these times? This is exactly the time you need the edification of the spirit through the communion of saints.

My brethren, do not think that it is irresponsible to be going to physical worship at this time. Why? Because if we believe the gathering and prayer of the saints is what move the world, we should make communion of saints an essential, not a peripheral. Unless the country is in a lock down, I don’t see why churches should be close and believers should avoid going to church. Churches should put in place good and safe distancing measures, and believers should gather in faith. If you trust in science, all the more you should trust in spiritual gathering. Yes, having faith doesn’t mean being reckless and illogical. But being logical doesn’t mean the absence of faith, my brethren. Christians having the faith to gather will move the World forward.

Third, if church gathering is definitely an essential to you, then you have to practise restraint by asking what are the non-essentials. Now, if family, church and work are the 3 top essentials for you, it is important to scale back on all your other activities now. Scale back on going to shopping mall, movies, or dining in restaurants. Now, if you are so fearless about going for those entertainments, but getting all apprehensive about church gathering at this juncture, then your faith deserves questioning, isn’t it? Your priority and your restraint now show the genuineness of your faith.

Lastly, at this juncture where infected cases spike, I like to appeal to those who are needlessly concerned and still holding back on vaccination. Get yourselves vaccinated. Put aside the fears and skepticism of being inoculated. Getting vaccinated now is not about compromising to the World. Neither is getting vaccination means you are not being responsible for your health. In fact, doing so now shows that you are sound in your judgment. It’s not only for protection against the virus, it’s also to give both yourselves and others whom you are going to come into contact with a piece of mind.

Now, let me put it this way. As a Christian, I definitely have the right to my choice if it doesn’t involve any moral implication, but I will make a choice for the sake of the gospel, even if it means a risk or a loss. Now, I hear people say: “Don’t be fool by the government or the pharmaceutical companies!”. Now, let me end with this, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “We are fools for Christ’s sake”. <1 Cor 4:10>.