Suffering and the Favor of God

Over the course of the last couple of months, my time spent in God’s Word has been richer than I can ever remember.  For me, the clear and unmistakable reason for this has been the fact that living in a world dominated by talk about the Coronavirus has caused me to read the Scriptures in a new way. For example, when the Psalms so often speak of God as a refuge, my felt need for the security of God as my refuge brings comfort and joy like never before. And while we may desire a world free of the worries and cares related to the Coronavirus, the fact is that this is the world in which we presently live. Could it be that God is using what’s happening to draw you and your children to himself, and to make your life a fertile field for the truths of the Gospel? I would say yes! John Calvin wrote, “This is the chief advantage of afflictions, that while they make us sensible of our wretchedness, they stimulate us again to supplicate the favor of God.” Are you asking for God’s favor these days?