Its 2020, month of March. The whole world is fighting together a deadly virus….Corona virus, or COVID 19 as they call it, since last 4/5 months.

An extremely difficult time. Not only for me, but for the entire world. Everyone going through so much emotional, as well as psychological issues. Thousands lost their lives and thousands physically affected by the virus and quarantined and isolated from their loved ones. But everyone…..whether sick or fine, are locked up in their respective houses during this lockdown period.

Never thought our generation will have to witness something of this sort.
Just the other day, I was going through few scientific discoveries of recent times.

In September, Australian scientists discovered a fossil that turned out to be the oldest known animal in the geological record. The fossil organism, called Dickinsonia, lived 558 million years ago. Meaning a whopping 20 million year before the Cambrian explosion when animals first showed up in fossil record.
Another discovery was by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope. Found more than 2,700 confirmed exoplanets , between 2009 to 2018.

Also, 2010s marked huge advances in our ability to precisely edit DNA, in large part thanks to identification of the Crispr-Cas9 system. Some bacteria naturally use Crispr-Cas9 as an immune system, since it lets them store snippets of viral DNA, recognise any future matching virus, and then cut the virus’s DNA to ribbons.

We have come a long way…….

I recorded only a few scientific discoveries made in the past years. There are many more. These discoveries make us feel joyful, also fill us up with some sense of power ….the thought that we have the capability to discover things that happened thousands of years back.

Ironically today, in spite of such scientific breakthroughs, the entire world is pushed back to their houses. Roads are empty, economies totally shut down, life turned upside down for each household. All are filled with fear….. of a microbe…a virus, Corona Virus, with a potential to affect us fatally. If we are scientifically so capable, technologically so sound, why are we living in fear?

A paradox!

I remember the book of ‘Lamentations’. Lamentations 3:17 reads, ‘And You have bereaved my soul and cast it off far from peace, I have forgotten what good and happiness are”.

Verse 22, ‘it is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving kindness that we are not consumed, because His (tender) compassions fail not. (Mal 3:6)
We are dealing with some similar emotions these days…aren’t we?
Scientific discoveries have taken gigantic leaps, we have known power like never before, yet feeling so vulnerable, powerless and helpless in front of a microscopic virus. Looks like God has turned His face away from us.

Nothing is making sense. No clue where it’s all going . No promise for future. The virus is definitely not going to disappear. We have to learn to live with it. Vaccines are on their way but it will take a year and half maybe to be finally out to combat the disease. Humans take pride in their big houses, many accomplishments, expensive cars, and expensive lifestyles…but looks like a lurking virus has pushed us all, behind our very own walls ….and we are getting overwhelmed with an uncertain future and whether we have big expensive cars or smaller ones, they are of no use today.

In Lamentations 3:19-20, the writer is feeling equally helpless like us, his minds fixed on the problems, and his soul bowed down within him with sadness.

Lamentations 3:21 , ” But I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation.”

This statement is a turn from his previous statements. It shows that he trusts in God and realises that only God has the power to change situations for him or for anyone who trusts in Him.

Verse 25 says, “The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him (inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word).

One thing that the episode of corona virus has done for sure is…..made every one realise how futile our human life is. It has brought us all down to our knees. We never bothered to pause in life to be thankful, to be grateful for God’s mercies. We took every day’s supply of grace for granted. We destroyed the beautiful nature God gave us to enjoy for our greed. We gave it the name of ‘development’. We behave as we are going to be here forever.

Job 7:6-7 says, “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is but breath, my eye will not again see good.’

Job 14:1-2, “Man, who is born of woman, is short lived and full of turmoil. Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.

James 4:14, “ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”
Psalm 39:6, “surely every man walks about as a phantom, Surely they make an uproar for nothing, He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them”.

1 Corinthians 3:19-20, “ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, He is the ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS, and again, THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise , THAT THEY ARE USELESS”.

In our sector, we have too many so called VIP s, who go out with their many security cars with pomp and show just to feel important. Today they are all too scared to come out of their gates. The virus has shown them ( I would like to believe at least now they are kneeling down in front of God) where they stand. Their pomp and show are of no use, just like the rest of the world.

Lamentations 3:39-44, “Why does a living man sign (one who is still in life’s school of discipline)? (And why does) a man complain for the punishment of his sins?

Let us test and examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord!

Let us lift up our hearts and our hands (and then with them mount up in prayer) to God in heaven.

We have transgressed and rebelled and you have not pardoned. You have covered Yourself with wrath and pursued and afflicted us. You have slain without pity. You have covered Yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through”.

Amidst peak of knowledge, technological advancement, economic growth, acquired power, hearts got filled with pride, which scriptures repeatedly warned us about…

1 Samuel 2:3, “Boast no more so very proudly. Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth. For the Lord is a God of knowledge. And with Him actions are weighed”.

Psalm 75:5, “Do not lift up your horn on high. Do not speak with insolent pride.”

We started depending upon our own wisdom and skills. Our achievements made us believe we can take care of anything that comes our way.

We forgot the Omniscient , Omnipresent and Omnipotent Great ‘I AM”. We took Him for granted. We took His love for us for granted.
As lamentations 3:40 says, “Let us test and examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord!”

He is a merciful God. “For though He cause grief, yet He be moved to compassion according to the multitude of His loving-kindness and tender mercy” (Lamentations 3:32).

Let us ask for forgiveness for straying away from Him. Let us ask for forgiveness for our lack of love for our fellow brothers and sisters. Who knows, He might look down again with love and take this pandemic away completely…….because as Luke 1:37 says, “ For nothing is impossible with God”.

(“”The writer has been a Cover page Model for various fashion magazines , anchored various musical shows for youth Channels and a (short film) filmmaker for Discovery Channel. Currently busy writing her own book””)