Facing Pandemic with a Forgotten God

“But they soon forgot his works.” That’s what Psalm 106:13 says about the Israelites just after crossing the Red Sea. Though God consistently came through for his people, the psalmist repeatedly says of the Israelites, “They forgot God.” Israel continually forgot who God was and what he had done. And because they forgot God and all that he was capable of, they either exchanged his glory for inglorious things or they responded with fear and panic when they should have had faith. I couldn’t help but feel like that sounds a little like the world we are living in today, especially as we face the COVID-19 global pandemic.

They Forgot God

The world has forgotten God just as the Israelites did. This doesn’t mean that the Israelites forgot about him but rather that as they went along, they stopped remembering all the ways God had come through for them and stopped placing their trust in him. Many of us are guilty of doing the same. It becomes easy to forget God when your normal routine gives you the illusion that you are in control. When your life basically consists of waking up, going to work, punching the time clock with assurance of a paycheck, coming home, and doing it all over again the next day, it’s easy to forget God. If you’re honest, you may not even really feel like you need him.

It doesn’t take long for something to happen, big or small, to threaten the reality of the illusion of control. In this case, seemingly overnight, something as simple as a virus swept through the world and took away our sense of security. Major corporations like Disney, Hollywood, and the NBA, regarded as powerful, even invincible, by earthly standards, have been shut down in a matter of days. The whole world has been turned upside down. Suddenly we are all painfully aware of just how out of control of our lives we really were all along. You may not have even realized you were operating your own life and had “forgotten” God in it like the Israelites did. But if you were, you’ll probably find yourself doing now exactly what the Israelites did- panicking, living in fear, and exchanging God’s glory for inglorious things.

They Exchanged God’s Glory

Psalm 106:20-22 says, “They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.” Moses had been up on Mt. Sinai for some time and the Israelites started to get nervous. They forgot God and instead of trusting him, they decided to make a golden calf to worship. They exchanged God’s glory and worshiped an inglorious thing instead.

People have actually lost their sense of security over making sure they have enough toilet paper- talk about exchanging God’s glory for inglorious things! But seriously, what do you find yourself worshiping right now? Are you giving your time to God’s glory and his word? Or are inglorious things like your phone, social media, and the news ruling your life? Are you worshiping your worries by allowing yourself to spend all your time thinking about what might happen? Or are you worshiping God by spending time in prayer and trusting him to care for you?

God never wiped his people out but he did do what was necessary to get their attention. He often punished the Israelites in ways that seem harsh to us. But God’s glory is not to be taken lightly. After a trial, the Israelites, that had forgotten God and his works, remembered and turned back to him. They remembered his power and glory, his miraculous works, and remembered that he alone was worthy of their worship. I believe God is using this virus to get our attention. So use this time to remember God’s power and glory. Remember that he alone is worthy of our worship- not our money, our jobs, our cars, or anything else.

They Gave into Panic and Fear

Psalm 106:7 says, “They did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.” God had just led the Israelites out of Egypt with a mighty hand. But when they arrived at the edge of the Red Sea and saw the Egyptians pursuing them, they panicked and doubted why God had ever brought them out of Egypt. And later in history, Psalm 106:24-25 says, “They despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord.” When they finally made it to the Promised Land, they disobeyed God because of their fear. The Israelites gave into panic and fear because they forgot that the same God that had led them out of Egypt was with them still in both these situations and didn’t trust him to come through for them in just as miraculous a way.

It’s not hard to see the panic and fear in our world today. It’s all over the news and social media. But if you are a born again child of God, and you find yourself panicking or afraid, you can be assured that the same God that always came through for the Israelites will always come through for you.

We have hope. Psalm 106:44-45 says, “Nevertheless, he (God) looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.” God did not turn his back on the Israelites. While they may have forgotten him, he did not forget about them. And likewise, though we have forgotten him, God is not turning a blind eye to our pain now. This trial may last for a while but God will use this for the good of those who love him and for his glory. I believe God will use this time to give us all some much needed rest. I believe God will draw desperate hearts to himself. I believe God will use this as an opportunity for his church to be the light of the world and step up to help in both spiritual and practical ways. I believe God will use this to remind us all of his power and that he alone is in control.

When this has passed and is nothing more than an event in a history book, we must continue to remember how God came through for us. We must remember his power and works. This won’t be the last time the world, whether the globe or your individual life, spins out of control. So when all this fades away, don’t slip back into the illusion of control. Continue to remember God and daily trust in him. 

Remember God and his works.