We may be finding it difficult to rest while we wait for the vaccine roll out.
One day, a little boy visited the nurse for a vaccination. After the nurse gave him the injection, she tried to bandage the boys arm, “The boy said, “I think you had better bandage the other arm, “ “But why? I’m supposed to bandage the place were you’ve been injected to let your friends know not to touch it.” said the nurse “You really don’t know anything about my friends, do you?”
Paul had written a strongly worded letter to the church at Corinth. In his letter he pointed out they were quarrelling and following leaders rather than Jesus. Sadly, there were other problems as well. Paul had arranged to meet Titus at Troas, but Titus failed to arrive. Paul could not rest he wanted to know what was happening at the Corinth Church, so he went to Macedonia where he met up with Titus.
Everything seemed to be going wrong. Paul was anxious and he could not rest.
“When I came to Tro′as to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedo′nia.” 2 Corinthians 2, 12, 13.
We pick up the continuing worry in Chapter 7
For even when we came into Macedo′nia, our bodies had no rest but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 2 Corinthians 7: 5
Paul was very concerned about the Corinthians reaction to his letter, in his first letter he appealed to them to come together. God’s kindness is meant to lead to repentance and forgiveness.
In our current situation as we journey through this pandemic, we may be finding it difficult to rest while we wait for the vaccine roll out and It is understandable, but we can be assured that it will happen and getting uptight doesn’t help us. Being still and keeping safe we can rest and be at peace.
Titus had good news for Paul and he was comforted to hear of their change of heart. The Corinthian Church had recognised that Paul loved them and he only wanted to bring the healing love of Jesus to bring them to say sorry to God and each other and to start afresh following Jesus’ teaching and walk in God’s Spirit of love. 2Corinthians 7: 6-10.
Paul need not have worried about the situation; from this I think he had learnt to trust God and rest. To the Church at Philippi he wrote, “Be anxious about nothing, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” Philippians 4: 6.
Tom Wright Study on James puts it this way, “Prayer must surround everything we do, whether we’re sad or happy, suffering or cheerful. Prayer that is based on the fact that the Christian stands at the overlap point of heaven and earth.” “The person praying stands with one foot on earth in the place of trouble, sickness and sin and with the other foot in the place in heaven of healing, forgiveness and hope.”