Coronaviruses are important human and animal pathogens. At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus was identified as the cause of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei Province of China. It rapidly spread, resulting in an epidemic throughout China, followed by an increasing number of cases in other countries throughout the world. In February 2020, the World Health Organization designated the disease COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019. It has spread to many countries around the world, with the World Health Organization declaring it a pandemic. The case fatality rate is approximately 2.3% (based on initial information). Nagaland’s Chief Secretary Temjen Toy on 22nd March 2020 issued the order restricting the movement of people and all vehicles in around Nagaland from the midnight of March 23 2020. All government offices, Churches, Schools, Institute, shops and business establishments in around Nagaland, was also been asked to shut down as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
For the Entire World, through COVID-19 God is sending Warning for Humans. In entire World the God is speaking through this pandemic, and this is seen as a wake-up call to humanity. Lots of praying and forgiveness rituals are required now. People have to stop being foolish and start concentrating on what matters most. We have to remember. We have to start praying like we mean it.
The situation with the COVID-19 coronavirus and
the many news reports around us are creating worry for all of us. In times like
these, it is especially important to remember God’s promise to be with us. Our
Almighty God who made us, and gave his only begotten Son for the salvation of
our world, He will never leave us alone in this time of need.
He is with us and we should always be in
prayers. Prayer is not a last resort, but a loving promise from our Lord that
he will hear us. We should pray for our Nagaland people especially for those
who are suffering from the deadly disease coronavirus, those caring for the
ill, those seeking a vaccine, and all others frontline workers like Doctors,
Nurses, Police, Ngo’s who are serving people in these pandemic times. We should
remember to pray for each and everyone including our own neighbor, church
members, friends who are experiencing anxiety during such moments. This is the
right time for us where God is calling each of us to be a blessing for others.
As said “Service to man is Service to God” in response to his love God wants us
to work for human needs by serving our neighbors.
In this time of pandemic, each of us might be
confused and might be thinking, how to serve people? But we need to reach out
our people in such a way that our neighbors should know that they are not
alone. As Christians we should help providing necessities to those who are in
need in such pandemic time, share blessings with those who are struggling like
a phone call can be very encouraging, Encourage them to reach out if they need
anything. Use social media platform to connect digitally to those who are
around us. We should remember God in this moment even in times of social
distancing; we can safely reach out in mercy and love through social media
platform.
Whatever may be, this coronavirus has made the
mighty kneel and brought the world to a halt like nothing else could. Our minds
are still racing back, longing for a return to normality. And in the midst of
this terrible despair, coronavirus offers us a chance to rethink the doomsday
machine we have built for ourselves. Nothing could be worse than a return to
normality.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted religion in
various ways, including the cancellation of the worship services, the closure
of Sunday Schools, as well as the cancellation of festivals. Many churches,
mosques, and temples have offered worship through live stream amidst the
pandemic. Social media platform has become a new trend to worship God by
sharing Sermons through social media in Nagaland. Churches have started using
technology at their best to worship God amidst the pandemic. As stated Nagaland
for Christ most of the Nagaland churches pastors are following the right way to
educate their people through online service.
God does not abandon us God goes with us, even
now in this time of trial and testing. In this moment, it is important for us
to anchor our hearts in the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Now is the time
to intensify our prayers and sacrifices for the love of God and the love of our
neighbor. Now it’s the time to return back to God, and hold onto each other
with love. If we see into biblical context Hosea 14:4 “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my
anger has turned away from them.” In this story the
prophet Hosea addressed a question with his religious people of Israel who was
tempted to put their security in their own possessions and in their political
alliances with other nations rather than in God. Hosea called his people to return
to God to receive pardon, healing, and restoration. Hosea reminded them that
God would heal their faithlessness and love them freely. This story of Hosea is
in related to COVID-19 pandemic, despite all the sufferings and difficulties
that we are facing now, we must always run to God, because he is love. As
followers of Christ and members of one community, the body of Christ, to
maintain our spiritual health in the midst of this COVID-19 crisis, we should
continue to love and pursue our life of prayer in order to nourish our faith
and maintain hope.
Let us pray in solidarity for our brothers and
sisters here and around the world who are sick. We should pray for those who
are currently struggling with the virus, those living in fear and anxiety,
those in isolation, the suffering, and the dead. While we pray for our families
and our loved ones, let us pray earnestly for researchers and health care
givers, Frontline workers, Doctors, Nurses and for those who must make
difficult public decisions in this time of pandemic. Let us not forget the
poor, the needy, and the vulnerable, especially those who do not have access to
adequate health care.
JACOB SUNDAS
BLOGGER
CHÜMOUKEDIMA, DIMAPUR NAGALAND
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