Covid Prayer
Hey Friends,
First, I want you to know that we are praying for each and every one of you. I can imagine the stress our current situation has placed on you, whether it’s your health, your finances, or wrestling with worry on some level.
Jesus calls us “the light of the world” in Matthew 5:14, and I’ve seen believers unite to bring comfort and hope. I’ve heard stories of believers in China putting themselves at risk to share the Gospel with their neighbors. I’ve watched churches find creative ways to bless their communities and medical workers. I know this pleases God.
Our current situation is very uncertain at a global level, but this doesn’t surprise God. He has already provided us with promises and tested truths to be our foundation, even now. To our supporters and friends, and to pastors of communities that are being light in dark places, we are linking arms with you in prayer. We want to know how to pray for you more specifically, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and share your needs with us. We love you!
“a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecc 3:4
This season we are all in, which for most of us began roughly 90 days ago, has put our world, our friends and our loved ones in such unique positions. Many are grieving the loss of people they knew and loved to Covid-19. To those friends walking through loss, we mourn with you. Others are struggling with losing their jobs, trying to take things one day at a time and praying for their families and businesses.
Yet at the very same time, people are celebrating milestones. They’re graduating, celebrating birthdays and continuing with wedding plans, even though those plans have been drastically altered. To those friends who are celebrating sweet moments during a worldwide pandemic, we celebrate with you.
In all of this, I see a theme of security. Over the past few months, the things we may have placed some sense of security in have been taken away. The people we love, the jobs and lives we’ve built for ourselves, our plans for the future and what we expected from all of these have been altered to some degree.
Even in a crisis, the one thing that cannot be shaken is the message and hope of Jesus Christ. In Him we have an eternal security that even moths and rust cannot corrupt. We have His promise of peace and comfort, even in the moments when we grieve. We have the promise of hope, even when we cannot plan for tomorrow. All of God’s promises are true. All of His desires for us are for our good. There is so much security in the person and character of Jesus. “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Cor 1:5
Even when the road takes unexpected turns, the goal remains the same: share the story of Jesus with those who haven’t heard. The apostle Paul met many challenges along the way, but none were too great to keep him from going on to reach the people the Holy Spirit had prompted him to reach. The same Holy Spirit who spoke to Paul has spoken to us. Our hearts long to see Christ revealed in the hearts of the people of the Philippines.
Through Covid-19 and this time of uncertainty, we have been humbled and encouraged by the faithfulness of each church and friend helping us reach the never-reached in Asia Pacific. Thank you for praying for us and sending us to the Philippines.
Because they haven’t heard,
Justin & Anna Gilpin
