When you’ve parked your pen far too long, it is not uncommon to feel a tad bit rusty. However, with the advent of this novel corona virus that has put the world in a lock down and a semi-standstill, I can’t help but pick up the pen I have not used in a while.

Fear is the epitome of what the world is currently under.

News of the surging number of cases globally every single day amounting to overwhelmed health care workers and patient-filled hospitals running out of manpower, beds and equipment triggers panic and paranoia. With more governments resorting to lock downs and people being asked to stay home, to many, it feels like this virus has robbed us not only of our peace and sanity, but also of our freedom. If you live with other people such as your family or friends, having to stay within the walls of your house would probably not be so bad, depending on how well you all get along. However, for the rest of us who live on our own, if you are not built for a solitary life, which I think none of us are because we are created to be relational and social beings, staying at home in these trying times becomes more challenging. It is comforting though, if you are a believer, that even when you are all by yourself, you are never really alone. And I am not talking about the possibility of still communicating with other people albeit being all by yourself, through technology and social media. I meant, that knowing, that feeling that someone who truly cares about you is actually with you in the midst of all the momentary chaos, helplessness and hopelessness in the world.

Although I am one of those to whom it is a must to still go out of the house to report at the workplace every weekday, I can imagine how it is to be totally locked down all by yourself. It could be really lonely. I can still meet people at work every day but I cannot meet up with friends since I believe social and physical distancing would actually help in leveling out the contagion. Nonetheless, this trying time which has pushed me to have a humongous amount of time to myself catered to my countless one-on-one moments with God.

With that, despite the fear, panic and paranoia that are engulfing the world and taking precedence at this moment, I am feeling a kind of peace that I would never trade for anything else in the world.

In Your Presence

I’ve traveled many places

My feet have treaded miles

I’ve come too far,

I’ve wandered wide

Still there’s no place

I so much long to be

Than in your presence, Lord

Where it’s only you and me

For in your presence there is peace

Unparalleled love and joyful bliss

In your presence I am whole

Although a broken, wounded soul

I’ve tried to walk away

I even ran to hide

I’ve left, I turned around

To escape your glorious sight

But still there’s no place

That keeps on calling me

Than in your presence Lord

Where it’s only you and me

For in your presence there is peace

Unparalleled love and joyful bliss

In your presence I am whole

Although a broken, wounded soul

The more I spend time in His presence, the more I get to know His heart. The more I get to know His heart, the more I understand His love for me. The more I understand His love, the more I am able to open up myself to receive it. And the more of His love dwells in me, the more power I have over fear.

Because the love of God drives away fear, and there is no fear in His perfect love!

(1 John 4: 18)

Therefore, in the midst of all that is happening right now, fear not! God is still in control and His eyes are on you!