We can be hopeful about what good God might bring through this. Our God does not make mistakes. He is a perfectly holy, wise, fair and kind - he is also a God that knows, and has control over, all things. This situation could bring about new opportunities, for example...

 

Will the ending of most leisure pursuits give people space to think honestly about matters of life and death?

 

Will the vast economic cost paid to protect the vulnerable force our society to ask why we would feel that such a course of action is right, if our world is a mere cosmic accident with no deeper meaning?

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On Sundays, we have been learning from the Bible about what a real church is - a family of men and women brought together by God, through faith in Christ and by the Spirit to be like Jesus himself. Will we, as a church family, put this into practise?

 

This situation is also an opportunity to love our unbelieving neighbour. Will we take it?

 

The Bible is anything but simplistic about life but it gives us a compelling reason for why people can be both selfish (when stockpiling toilet roll!) and selfless (when providing for elderly neighbours). The Bible tells us that humanity was perfect when created by God in his image, but by turning away from God we have become a severely broken image.

 

Unsurprisingly, many people in Wakefield who would not call themselves Christians are responding in great love for others in the community, but will we join them as witnesses to Christ’s truly selfless love?

 

Many of us will have the oportunity of more spare time. Time to think, time to read, time to speak to God, time to reflect on what God says really matters in life, and in the life to come.

 

However, many livelihoods will also be put at risk and many will suffer with all kinds of mental health problems. It's also devastating to think that thousands, possibly more, are going to die and that many will enter an eternity without Christ. We should be taking the opportunity to pray, and do what we can, for these people with the help of a God that loves both us and them.