Yesterday, many Christian churches and families, prayed for God’s grace – his intervention to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The prayers were mostly offered in homes after the ban on mass gathering.

While this unity in prayer is not new, this time there is a real urgency.

Although some may be still sceptical about this virus, many staunch churchgoers believe that only God has the power to stop it from spreading.

He knows the origin of COVID-19 and he also knows the cure.

He has given human beings the intelligence to find the vaccine to counter it. It will take time to get there. He will intervene in his own due time with a purpose.

In times like this we experience suffering, grief and pain with the loss of loved ones .

We also experience miracles and extraordinary things happening. They are all part of what we need to go through In mortality.

There is a time and season for all things

In Ecclesiastes chapter 3 of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible (King James version), it says there is a time and season for all things.

There is a time to be born and a time to die. There is a time to mourn and a time to be happy. We will all go through these different experiences in this life.

Those of us who are endowed with knowledge, qualifications, technical skills and experience lead the way in the containment of coronavirus and the search to find a suitable vaccine.

God has provided the potential and talents and they have worked hard to develop them through education and practice.

God has also blessed leaders with wisdom to lead nation in truth and righteousness.

Those who have not listened to his promptings have led their people into suffering, pain and misery.

We are blessed that we have leaders who stand for equality, that we are all equal before God – that there is no discrimination on race, culture, religion and socio-economic status.

When people bow their heads and kneel to pray, there is a common belief that we are praying to the same supreme being, the God of the universe, the source of all good things, our creator.

Nation-wide prayers

Nation-wide prayers were offered at the height of the political upheavals of 1987 and 2000 and throughout the series of natural disasters we have been through.

When Fijians went to war during the First and Second World War similar prayers were offered.

The prayers sought protection and guidance in the belief that God would watch over Fijians.

Before Fijians went to the polls in 2014 and 2018 and 2000 they prayed for God’s blessings and guidance in the same way as they did before the 1987 General Election and that they would accept the outcomes.

One group didn’t accept it in 1987 and it led to the first military coup that deposed Dr Timoci Bavadra’s coalition government of the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) and the National Federation Party.

This was repeated in 2000 when Mahendra Chaudhry’s FLP Government was overthrown by the George Speight coup.

Prayers offered today are against a common enemy – the killer coronavirus.

Many churches have called on their members to fast and pray against the virus.

They have faith that the collective power of prayers throughout the nation will weaken the virus and help the country recover from its negative health and economic impact.

Everyone is backing them hoping that the situation will turn for the better soon and even if it persists a bit longer people will persevere with the faith that it will get better.

Feedback: nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj