By Pastor Romeo Dela Merced
Third of a series
Ako, it is in my opinion as a pastor, that in the last 5 months, the Spirit of God is quenched in the church. I am confident of saying this because if he is God, and he is the director of the church, I think he will not submit to the virus or to the pandemic. Yes, we submit to the rules pero totally kung wala na tayong gagawin ang Holy Spirit na quench. Do not quench the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will lead us to worship to go and preach the Gospel pero dahil tayo ay na move ng fear, na maraming considerations, sumunod tayo totally, so na paralyze ang church. And here is now the situation of the church. In the last 5 months naka pag tala tayo ng lowest number of new believers in the history, I think, of Christianity.
As I looked sa ating history. Hinadlangan din sila ng maraming bagay. Papakain sila sa leon but they went on. They were threatened to be burned alive at stake but they went on. Through the generations of Christianity, bawat generation nagkaroon sila talaga ng pag subok, and these are generations. I think huwag na man mapahiya ang ating henerasyon sa harapan ng Panginoon na hindi na totally mag submit tayo. There must be a way. Cooperating with the government, taking care of the practical steps but still we can do the work of the church and that is my point pastors.
That is the reason why I am going around. Sharing to the pastor. You should not hide in your houses. Kung yung mga frontliners natin na nurses, mga doctors, yung mga bayani nating mga frontliners, mga purok leaders, mga barangay, they are risking their lives because trabaho nila iyon and they think it is essential. Tayo calling natin ito. Calling natin. If you think your calling is important and to save souls is an imperative work na kailangan natin gampanan at all times then we must also make a way to share the Gospel. Dahil nawala na ang missionary journey. Five months walang missionary work. Walang water baptism meron man kaunti lang. We cannot perform our God-given mandate during the pandemic. So I think kung tanungin natin ang Panginoon hindi naman siguro siya nag submit during this virus. Kaya lang na quench nga natin. Na quench natin.
But look I can travel, I can go around in the midst of pandemic. Konting prayer, konting courage, konting wit. Hindi ka naman papatayin sa checkpoint. Bakit natatakot tayo sa checkpoint? Hindi ka naman papatayin ng sundalo sa checkpoint. And there is a way. Gumawa tayo ng mabuti sa kapwa, tulugan natin ang ating government. May kaunti tayong resources. It is now the time for us to be Good Samaritans and to be Good Samaritans we can still share the Gospel and pray. Ang dami ng na de-depress. They need prayer, they need God in such a time as this and we are the light of this world in such a time as this na masyado ng madilim ang sanlibutan ngayon.
