What's Most Important to You?

What has been on everyone's lips lately? I think it's Covid-19.

Coronavirus. What is it? God's judgments? A consequence of unsanitary conditions? Biological weapon? Political games? We can only guess, but no one will tell us the whole truth now. But the disease exists, and everyone is talking about it. Covid came into our lives as something unexpected, scary, and significant.

At first, no one paid attention to it, but all media from morning to evening transmit information about Covid, aggravating the situation. Governments of different countries close borders and put people in quarantine. And no one is outraged, only fear of an unknown disease. People are dying, and no one wants to be next.

I'm not a specialist in medicine, and I'm far from politics, but I'll share the revelations and observations I had these days.

The first and most important thing I noticed is that different big things cannot coexist simultaneously in my heart. When I have close and constant communion with Jesus, He becomes so significant and gives such peace in my heart that all other problems against this background become extremely small and insignificant. But when I start looking at what's happening in the world and make it big and significant, Jesus becomes tiny and distant. Different thoughts and questions come, to which there are no answers. Everything becomes gloomy and secret. What to do? Where to look for a way out? And you want to figure it out on your own and find an answer.

And there is an answer! Only in God is there peace. Jesus has long been saying to everyone the words we read in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

It is the Lord who gives peace to the soul. But there is one condition that sounds - "come". And those who come are calmed.

In our days, Psalm 91:3-6 is very relevant: "Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday." It's as if it's written about our time.

But there is a key to understanding that this promise is conditional and applies only to those about whom it is said: "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name." Verse 14. And this is not said about everyone, but only about those who already have knowledge of God and love Him.

Having an understanding that God loves us all and saves us is a good direction of thought. But knowing God personally as a Father who loves me and as a Savior from the power of sin is a completely different matter. The Most High gave the most precious thing He has - His Son, and He is waiting for me to believe in Him and accept this gift. God wants to see my interest in this Gift and thirst for knowing and receiving the Son.

And I take God's promises for myself in reserve for the time of disaster and keep them, like crutches, just in case. A trial comes, and I'm not ready.

I also noticed that, if we compare, this new virus is very similar to sin. The same effect, but more rapid. The virus, once in the body, affects the lungs, destroys immunity and kills its victim. And it's very contagious. Sin does the same thing. Getting into the heart, it affects the mind, destroys the will, and ruins the soul. And it's also extremely contagious.

It's easier to fight the virus because its influence is short-lived and causes vivid symptoms. But what to do with sin? It's not always easy to identify. You can suffer from it all your life and die in deep old age, without understanding that you are a sinner who never found the Savior. And why? After all, I don't do harm to people.

If everything is clear with sin, then there is still one very important problem of our time that needs to be solved while there is an opportunity. This is the lukewarm state of the Laodicean. Here many questions and objections arise. And the essence of God's answer is that all lukewarm children of God will be left without oil in their lamps and risk perishing during the crisis and tribulation. And Jesus will say about them that He does not know them.

Protection from the virus will bring temporary refuge from the disease, and protection from sin will bring life with God. Knowing the Most High will give me life in abundance and with special meaning.

Jesus does not leave me in ignorance about my true state and says that I don't even know how wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked I am in His eyes. And He shows a way out of this situation, offering to make a deal with Him.

All the goods that He advises me to buy are invisible to the eye, so I can pass by and not notice them, not appreciating the Heavenly treasure that is offered to me.

Love and faith have the power and authority to enrich me and make my heart hot. A loving heart will never be lukewarm. It will never grow cold if a person wears the white robe of Christ's righteousness, covering nakedness and imperfection.

Oh, if we, with the same passion with which we now talk about the coronavirus, reasoned and thought about how to get this gold, clothing, and eye salve so as not to be lukewarm, then all of Heaven would be set in motion.

If I were now convinced that Jesus is still standing at the door of my heart, and let Him into all areas of my life, how much benefit I would derive! How I would please God with my interest in the Son, in friendship and communion with Him.

Getting out of a lukewarm state is not so difficult, but for those who don't understand how and why, it's impossible. The truth of our time is that I will not become hot by accident or for company. I must clearly understand that I am lukewarm, admit it, and then buy what the Faithful and True Witness offers me, Who does not want to stand outside and talk about Himself, but wants to become part of me and be in me.

What should I do with this?

A loving heart constantly abides in the fire of trials. It cannot cool down while the struggle is going on, but because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. My hot deeds combined with the absence of love make me consistently lukewarm.

One who is cold in everything has more chances of realizing their need for the Savior and His goods. But even understanding this does not endow me with God's qualities. It is necessary to get up and go, take and buy, acquire, put on, anoint, and open. No one will do this for me.

Perhaps the will is paralyzed. Probably, someone should be brought to Jesus, and He comes to someone Himself, but the person himself must accept God's offer of healing. And if at Christ's command: "Rise and walk" the will does not react and does not give a command to the body, then what can God do for this soul? Just sympathize with it and leave it to be sick further. To great regret, very many lukewarm children of God will remain in this state forever and, according to Jesus' word, will be spewed out of His mouth.

When Jesus offers Himself and all His love, then, I think, it's not worth ignoring this offer. One should accept and buy exactly what He advises. But if I have no need and thirst, then I will not be able to appreciate what God offers me, and having bought it, I will not use it. And without such an antidote in my heart, I will perish.

Questions for reflection on this chapter:

1. Please read Psalm 29:3; 91:1-16; 107:19-20; Revelation 3:14-22; Ephesians 5:14; Ezekiel 36:23-27; 37:5-10; Isaiah 13:12; Matthew 24:12-13; Isaiah 43:11-12; 52:10-12; 55:1; Exodus 15:26; Luke 12:29-32; John 5:8; Matthew 12:15; 14:14; 15:30; Isaiah 6:10; 53:5 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. Is the example of big and small things in your heart clear to you?

4. What size is Jesus in your life?

5. Are you set for happiness in the coming days of impending trials?

6. Why is it necessary to prepare for the crisis of the last time now, and not wait for the moment when it begins?

7. Do you remember what is offered in the message to Laodicea? And what is expected from me in return?

8. Why is the oil for the lamp not given to all believers in a row, but only the wise receive it?

9. Do you understand what oil means in your life and in your case? Are you sure you are receiving it?

10. Have you paid attention to the message to Laodicea, especially verse 18? Are these symbols clear to you?

11. Why did Jesus tell the parable of the houses on the Rock and sand?

12. How does gold refined by fire enrich me?

13. Will the Lord teach those who buy Heavenly goods from Him to own them and gain victories?

14. How to prepare for the coming trials to withstand them?

15. How do you imagine the last time?