Witness the Power of God

12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

- Exodus 12: 12-13

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

- Isaiah 55:8 -

I am autistic. My brain naturally searches for, and locks in on patterns. Anyone who can see patterns can see what is not yet because it is simply a matter of extending the pattern, sketching it in where things are not yet.

Being able to pattern means that I can often take preventive measures ahead of time.

Faced with Covid19, I keenly feel the limitations of logical patterning. I am ready to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm but with each day's news of ...

- Malaysia's closing borders

- flights to and from Australia being entirely stopped

- Malaysia's Stop Movement Order disrupting vegetable supply

... Petunia's heart flops over every day when reading the newspapers.

This is force majeure. As a Christian, I view it as the frightening power of God. The last time I felt this way, I was watching tiles fly off the roof of a barn opposite my window. It was the "le vent d'Autan" in action. My neighbour was re-roofing his barn. I was just thankful that the tiles flew off in another direction than mine.

This time, I am hunkered down at home, hoping that the power of God will pass over my head like it passed over the homes of the Jewish people in Egypt. I see no pattern. I can predict little. My paltry little preventive measures do not seem to be enough.

So, I must walk by faith.

I must give thanks that unlike those who pretend to be Christians (like Trump), there are real Christians and Buddhists and Muslims and Hindus within the Singapore cabinet who have acted in ways that show that they really care for Singaporeans. I must give thanks that in these dark times, courageous people and wise leaders stand between me and death.

Now, I pray that the storm will pass my home and the homes of those I care about.

I don't know why God has unleashed this upon us. I know He has a good reason to. Perhaps it is to heal the earth. Perhaps, it is to let us know that dolphins should be able to visit the Venetian harbour, that the ozone layer needs healing, that we are polluting the air, that management should not appraise staff poorly when they are given 5 days of MC to stay home, that the American leaders lie without blinking, that people who look like villains are actually angels, that families should spend more time together, that we should go out into sunshine and fresh air, instead of shopping in the malls... that kindness wears no smile but evil often has to....

Perhaps, as humans, we have lost the plot and God is reminding us that He is sovereign and will set boundaries upon us if we know not how to set them on ourselves.

Perhaps.