We may be small, but our God is great
He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. (Isaiah 26:5)
Last weekend, I witnessed, firsthand, the empty streets of Savannah. Today, I caught a glimpse of the larger world outside my fair city, and what I saw astounded me.
Never before in the history of man has an event so entirely altered the way our society operates, travels, educates, and thinks. Schools, businesses, and even whole cities have effectively shut down due to COVID-19. This pandemic didn’t just affect one community. It has impacted all life on our planet.
YouTube is full of videos showing wild animals wandering empty streets where bustling traffic would have prevented their passage just a few months ago. The videos of mountain goats wandering the streets of the Welsh town of Llundadno, and a young family of Egyptian geese walking across an abandoned Israeli airport tarmac are particularly striking.
Earlier this year, it would have been hard to fathom the emotions generated by the sight of empty thoroughfares in New York City, London, and Paris. Now, such images have become symbolic of the world shutdown that has become our new norm.
This Easter, my friend Patty and I watched Andrea Bocelli’s live-streamed concert, “Music for Hope” – filmed inside and in front of Italy’s gorgeous but empty Duomo di Milano. Bocelli promoted the event as a prayer, not a service. As the renown opera singer told the Associated Press, “I will go there to pray, and I’d like to think that everyone listening to me sing, can pray with me.” (1)
While the music brought tears to my eyes, a few impressions stood out for me in the orchestration.
- My mother and I were incredibly blessed to visit many of Italy’s grand cathedrals in both 2014 and 2015. While we never visited the Duomo di Milano, we were privileged to tour St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Duomo di Firenze, which boasted many of the same design attributes. Memories of such places are even more precious to me as we face this year’s travel ban;
- Europe’s grand cathedrals have no equal in America. That’s just a fact; but
- More importantly, empty streets remind me of the greatness of God.
While I’ve heard friends call the emptiness of formerly bustling cities frightening and almost eery, my perception is far from fearful. To me, the absence of people in places formerly known for their dense populations is a stark reminder of how frail we are compared to our omnipotent Creator.
Cities speak of man’s prowess and power to build, control, and manipulate.
Empty city streets remind us of our vulnerabilities and insufficiencies. We, who think we are the grandmasters of our destinies, are fallible. Our false bravado and egocentric personalities have been brought low by a humble contagion.
We are not invincible. We need God. More than that, we need a Savior. No matter what we build with our hands, no matter the legacy we believe we are creating, no matter the wealth we amass or the following we create, we are nothing without God. He humbles the strong and elevates the weak. God controls all the forces of the universe – including the coronavirus.
Prosperity gospel preaches that God only wants to bless us. Such doctrine is untrue. God is not just a loving grandfather, eagerly bestowing good gifts upon His grandchildren. To believe such a thought is not only anti-Biblical, it will inevitably end in massive disappointment.
More so, such ideals diminish the power of God. As Job told his wife, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10)
Colossians 1:16 reminds us that, “For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
Nehemiah 9:6 says, “You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship You.”
And finally, Colossians 1:17 reminds us that, “He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together.”
And sometimes, God uses grand measures to remind us that we are nothing without Him – grand measures like COVID-19.
May we never discount God’s ability to elevate, sustain, and save us. We may be small, but our God is great.
Reference:
- Trepany, C. 2020, April 9. Easter Sunday streaming guide: Kanye West with Joel Osteen, Andrea Bocelli, and more. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2020/04/09/easter-events-stream-andrea-bocelli-kanye-west-joel-osteen-more/2965689001/