Sea of Galilee's rise 'by the grace of God'
One piece of good news is that for the first time in twenty years an unusually rainy winter has nearly filled the Sea of Galilee. Israelis consider rainy winters to be a blessing. ‘We are very excited because of this. It is very good for all of us around the Sea of Galilee: for agriculture, for farmers, for tourists, for everybody’, said the head of Kinneret Urban Union. After five years of drought, it has risen 18 feet in 2019 and 2020. The rise has been remarkable. Israelis are excited about it. ‘I am thrilled. We still treat it like our lifeline even though we do not drink the water any more. When I see a full lake, I want to sing, I want to cry out with joy. I am amazed by the grace of God,’ said tour guide Rachela Dotan.
He asked for a Bible, not for relief goods
‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4) The Philippines have been on lockdown for weeks, and many people are bringing aid to those struggling to meet daily needs. But one elderly man blessed the volunteers’ hearts when he asked for a new Bible instead of relief goods. His unusual request has been circling around social media. Dyn Nah shared her amazement on her Facebook page. She said that in a country full of citizens calling for relief aid, ‘here's to this man. May we be reminded that in this crisis, it is not only about the material things we need but also His Word as we walk through our everyday challenges.’
YouTube reinstates audiobook ‘Coronavirus and Christ’
YouTube has decided to reintroduce John Piper's audiobook 'Coronavirus and Christ' after initially banning it. The audiobook saw a sudden uptick in views after being re-uploaded, jumping from 187,000 to over 200,000 and growing. It hit the spotlight after an atheist group urged the US secretary of defence to punish a military chaplain for sharing a copy of the publication with his colleagues. The book was written both to call for repentance and to bring people into a transformation of thinking, feeling and living in alignment with the infinite values of Jesus Christ.
Moving forward
The following is based on portions of a post on the Passion for the Nation website: ‘As lockdown eases and transition begins, we can pray for a spirit of peace, prosperity, safety and well-being to rest on the cities, towns and streets of this nation. Let us ask for God’s mercy to be with every individual, ministry, businessman or marketplace leader struggling at this time; let us ask Him also to pour fresh joy, fresh strength and fresh life into those feeling failure, despair, disillusionment or loss. We thank God for the equipping of His church, and the work of His Spirit in individuals through this lockdown season. Please continue to pray for our government, scientists, researchers, economists and all advisors. May they work as a team with humility and mutual respect. “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6,7)’
