“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” (Revelation 1:5 KJV).
In Spanish, corona translates to “crown.” This makes me think of the many souls who will be saved during this very trying time due to the coronavirus. These souls will be the stones that we will place on Jesus’ crown! Glorious!
As we go to the grocery stores to do as all are doing—stacking up groceries for the days ahead as we prepare to stay in our homes—I am reminded of what the Israelites did, covering the post of their homes with a lamb’s blood so tha the spirit of death would pass them by. Just as today, God’s people’s sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, and we can trust Him to keep us in His mercy as this virus passes through this earth. Jesus’ blood is His protective ownership of us, by His Spirit, as this situation accomplishes God’s purpose.
It is a time of much uncertainty. As you look at people’s faces, they are worried and afraid. Yet it is a very exciting time because many are now open to the gospel of Christ and many souls will be saved! What a privilege we have to comfort them with God’s love and tell them that this is another sign of Jesus’ return!
Right now there are so many souls ripe to hear about salvation in Christ! Everywhere I turn, I can see them ready! We have a job to do. We have the answer—Jesus!
I ask those around me, “Do you know why this is happening?” Each one has responded, “No, why?” To this I respond, “Let me tell you why.” Or they say, “No,” to which I respond, “Would you like to know why?”
At a Whole Foods Market, I did not want to get close to a woman who was a cashier because her eyes looked demonized. Her arms were tattooed everywhere. I simply did not want to encounter all that was in her.
Another time, she was the cashier we had to go to again because the number that flashed by the cashier counter was the one we had to go through. Again, I did not want to get too close to her. Her eyes were hard to look into. There was no way I could deal with what she might be into.
She was now our cashier again. But this time when I looked into her eyes, they looked a little clearer. Lord, might she be able to hear of You? I asked Jesus. I had to try.
“Do you know why all this is happening?” I asked a little hesitantly.
“Ahh, no,” looking into my eyes.
“Would you like for me to tell you?” I asked.
She took a quick glance into my eyes. “Yes, tell me why.”
I prayed, Jesus, what do I say? Please protect me. “It’s because Jesus is coming. This is another sign of His return.” I looked at her eyes. They were still in a dark place, but I could see a little clearing.
“I have read that He came once and that he will come in ten days,” she said.
I was not going to get into that conversation. “I can tell you that He is coming and you have to be ready. Do you know Him as your Saviour?” I asked.
“Well, I am not religious,” ready to say her good-bye to us.
“I am not religious either, but I do know that He is a personal Saviour to those who ask Him. Would you like to ask Him?” She thought a minute. “This way you will know that whatever happens to you, you will be in heaven.” Her eyes now fixed on mine. “Would you like for me to help you ask Him?”
Now there was another customer behind me. Oh Lord, will I finish this for her salvation? Help, I prayed.
“Yes, I would.” She looked at the customer, got a bag, and started to pretend she was still putting items in them and looked straight into my eyes to lead me to do the same. I was so surprised! I pretended with her, getting more bags and opening them as we prayed together. She confessed with her mouth and believed in her heart that Jesus was the Son of God, that He had died and rose again. She asked Him to forgive her sins at His cross and gave her life to Him to be used for His glory.
When we finished praying, we both put down the grocery bags and looked into each other’s eyes. She was smiling with such joy! “Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.”
I asked her, “Do you have a Bible?”
I was surprised that she said, “Yes!”
“Start reading the book of John, little by little every day.”
Her eyes now beaming with joy, she said, “Yes, I will. Thank you. Thank you.”
I walked away in such amazement! A soul whose dark place I simply could not enter was now ready to reap because of the coronavirus situation. Jesus, the Light in her darkness, had entered ahead of me!
Someone had been after her soul. And now this was another stone for Jesus’ crown! Glory!
“Abba! Father! I was so hesitant to draw near this woman, but You had drawn her near to Your Son! Jesus, I was so surprised that her eyes were a little clearer this time that I saw her. I wondered if she just might listen. The Holy Spirit was already working in her heart because of the coronavirus situation. This is a darker time for many who do not know You, Jesus. But in their dark place, You are the LIGHT! Your hand is not so short that it cannot save when one calls on You. I am so excited, Jesus, because You have a harvest of souls right in front of us at this time! We ask Father in the name of Your Son, Jesus, that in Your mercy, You would deliver us from this virus. May we, your people, turn to you in repentance. And may we all be prepared to reap the souls you have drawn to Your Son and place them as the stones on the crown of Jesus, our King!”