Readings:
Isaiah 45: 1-7;
Psalm 96: 1-9;
1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10;
Matthew 22: 15-22

Collect:
Faithful Lord, whose steadfast love never ceases
and whose mercies never come to an end:
grant us the grace to trust you
and to receive the gifts of your love, new every morning,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection - We Are Reminded... Just few weeks back, life seemed to have been returning to normal, we were able to visit relatives, go to work, have a meal at restaurants among other things. However, we are beginning to witness a second wave of COVID-19 infections and the government have had to introduce new set of restrictions as we enter into a new phase of the ongoing pandemic. A lot of people have rightly become fearful and perplexed by what the second wave might mean to us in terms of economic impact and pressure on health services across the country.

It is therefore normal for us as human beings to retreat into the place of fear, despair and near-hopelessness and we may in fact begin to wonder whether God is still at work amidst all that the world have gone through in the last seven months. At this juncture, it is important that we remind ourselves certain truths as Christians so that we may have the right response to the current situation. I will like to share few points with us on what we need to commit to our remembrance.

We are reminded that God is active in the world

A religious cynic once said, “God made humanity on the last day of creation. When God realized what He’d done, He took off and went into hiding. The search to find God is what we call ‘religion.” Most of us may not think so, we can sometime have a view of a gentle heavenly watchmakerphilosophy of God who doesn’t get involved much in the affairs of the world and our daily lives, but we know that this is not a true of God. The great news is this: God never leaves us to fend for ourselves in difficult times. He promises to be with us in all that we face, and his whole heart encompasses our pain, surrounds us in peace, and gives us incredible hope and grace to keep pressing through.

We are reminded that we have victory and peace through Christ.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” John 16:33. God reminds us there will be trouble in this world, and we can surely expect it, but He’s already overcome it all. He’s already victorious. And that same power works in us today, giving us the courage and strength we need to persevere and overcome. True and lasting peace can never be found anywhere in this world but through Him. People will seek for it everywhere, in money, in possessions, in popularity, in success, even in other people. But when troubles hit, these things will never last, they’re never intended to get us through our most trying days. Only in Christ do we find the peace and power we need to rise above the darkest times.

We are reminded that His power works within us.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed,” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9.

One of the most miraculous reminders of God’s constant and loving care over us everyday is this: He has given us the the spirit of his very presence.He’s with us, continually. Though we may forget, he never does. He fights for us. He carries us. He strengthens us. He protects us. He covers us. He leads us. All this, and we may

not even be aware at times of the incredible ways he is working even in our greatest times of need. Be assured, if you’re hurting today, God has not forgotten you. He sees the pain you’ve carried, he offers you the peace and security of his very presence rising up within you. Don’t ever feel like you’ve got to face things on your own. As believers, we have “this treasure” within us, and we will not be crushed! No amount of suffering we may endure can hold that power over us. When we belong to Jesus, He is greater than all we face.

Adedayo Adebiyi