Uganda last week tightened its lockdown measures to try and curb a surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in the East African country that is seeing an array of variants.
The measures announced include the closure of Church buildings for 42 days, a ban on private and public transportation within and across districts, including in the capital Kampala.
Such times of crisis often raise huge questions among some believers in Christ; Why did this happen? When will it end? How will I cope? Maybe one of those questions is, “Where is God?”
Dorothy Kisaka, the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority explained in a devotional on Monday that God is present amid the bad times as well as the good, and walks with us through our questions and our troubles.
Mrs Kisaka encouraged Ugandans not to postpone living due to the prevailing hardships, but simply “adjust how we live.”
“42 days of lockdown are upon us because of the pandemic, and there is a lot of discomfort and grumbling. And yet we have to carry on with living. We have to do what we can within the circumstances because this situation is here with us. Prophet Jeremiah’s letter revealed to the Isrealites that they would spend seventy years in captivity, seventy years! But he said to them, carry on with the ordinary business of living,” he said, quoting Jeremiah 29:5-7.
“We can’t postpone living but we may have to adjust how we live. The wedding party will be smaller, the menu at home may drastically change, the priorities will be adjusted. But the message is the same, carry on with your living,” she went on.
Mrs Kisaka encouraged prayer, revealing that “we cannot wish [the pandemic] away”
“This plague or pandemic will run its full course and end. We cannot wish it away. We definitely must pray to God and trust in his grace and mercy. But no wishful thinking or denial of its existence will take it away. In Jeremiah’s days some prophets denied the captivity and kept saying it would soon end,” she said, quoting Jeremiah 29:8.
Reports show that Uganda is among some African countries seeing a dramatic rise in the number of infections amid a vaccine shortage. The nation has confirmed a total of over 68,779 infections, including 584 deaths. The actual totals are believed to be much higher, sources say.
Amid all this, Mrs Dorothy Kisaka urges that nothing takes God by surprise, and that His plans won’t fail.
“The pandemic will end. That is a given. Let’s get on with living, working, loving forgiving, reading, marrying, planting. Let us give up grumbling. This too will pass and God’s perfect plan will continue to unfold for mankind. Don’t postpone living, live each day and this very day as a gift God has given you. The 42 days will soon be gone,” she said.
She said: “The assurance we have is that God knows what the calendar of this pandemic and nothing takes God by surprise. He says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.””
