Prayer - Not Fear - Will Overcome!

When my brother and I were about ages three and five in the early 1950s, a polio epidemic struck terror in our mom, who would not let us go out in public. What really saddened me was our beloved Wisconsin beach was off limits to us due to the uncertainty and lack of knowledge of how the disease was spreading. People stayed home. In those days, there was no vaccine. We all knew people who became infected with the paralyzing disease. The fear in my mother's face and her strict actions to keep us safe are what I remember most about this enemy that was attacking mostly children. In later years, I would lose a good friend to polio in spite of the large strides in medicine that were made to treat and prevent it.

In this time, when we face a worldwide pandemic, we are wise to take precautions, wait it out, and be diligent as we learn more. We are also wise to not get caught up in frenzy and fear. Media is not the fear generator. It is our response to it that is causing unrest.

I would like to post portions of Psalm 91 that we can be praying over ourselves and our world right now. There is a light and power much greater than this present darkness. Prayer - not fear - will overcome.

When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai,

you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.

He's the hope that holds me and the stronghold to shelter me,

the only God for me, and my great confidence.

He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy,

and he will protect you from false accusation

and the deadly curse.

His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.

You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.

His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.

Don't fear a thing!

When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High,

our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm.

How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?

Psalm 91:1-4; 6; 9-10 (The Passion Translation)