“And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, ‘Is the LORD among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7)
In the light of the current concern about COVID-19, some individuals might wonder where God is in all this. Many people including believers might feel afraid and angry enough to complain about God’s seeming lack of concern. Why would He allow such a virus to afflict us poor helpless human beings? Why doesn’t He do something to prevent us from getting sick?
From our reading in the book of Exodus we note that the Israelites wandering in the wilderness had such complaints about their suffering and deprivation. They had a hard time trusting God. Apparently they had learned little or nothing from their experiences. They had seen God work miracles: the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the destruction of Pharaoh’s army, the provision of the manna that satisfied their hunger. Yet they thought the Lord had now abandoned them. They did not think He would or could provide water. Surely they should have known that God knew their needs and would provide for them as He had in the past. Moses at least He knew the Lord would handle the problem.
As imperfect human beings we all tend to complain to God about our lives, our needs, our suffering, and pain. Sometimes life gets so difficult that we think God has either forgotten us or that He is angry. Some people even abandon Him all together. But one purpose of suffering and pain, indeed, one purpose of COVID-19 is to lead people to Christ. Rather than complain about the lack of government and health experts response or their overreactions we should we should pray to the Lord for mercy, comfort, and healing. We should meditate on the great works the Lord has done as revealed in the Scripture and in His Church. We find there the antidote to all our ills: faith that assures us that the Lord is ever with His children. He will not forsake those He has redeemed.