God's Protection in War and Crisis

 1944 was a terrible time in Germany. The war was all but lost, but the Nazis were still in power. British and American air raids became increasingly fierce. Day and night, many thousands of civilians were killed.

During this traumatic time, a German preacher, Hermann Zaiss, lived in Ohligs, a suburb of Wuppertal. He had suffered much in his life.

During the First World War he was a prisoner of war for 4 years.  Then he served as an evangelist in Germany, but he was persecuted by Christians because he was a Pentecostal. Then his wife became mentally ill, and chronically psychotic.

His heart was broken. He could not bear it any more. He decided to turn away from God. He still believed in God, but he told God he wanted nothing more to do with Him.

I did just that, and I told God, "If you are alive and have an interest in me and your love for me is so great, come and call me again after 20 years!"

Schneider, Peter. Lahme tanzen unter der Kanzel: Zeichen und Wunder in den Gottesdiensten von Hermann Zaiss (German Edition) . Asaph Verlag. Kindle Edition.
(Lame men dancing under the pulpit: signs and wonders in the services of Hermann Zaiss)

He divorced his mentally ill wife, became very successful as an entrepreneur and remarried.

Then came the terrible bombing raids in Germany. Everyone was gripped by panic and despair.

Already in 1939, his wife Clara had found her way to God through prayer for their seriously ill daughter. God had healed her daughter and she pleaded with her husband again and again to take up his ministry again and help the suffering people.

On 22 July 1944, on the very day when his twenty years away from God were over, Hermann and Clara knelt down in the bombed Protestant church of Ohligs and prayed: "Lord, if you want us again, here we are." He received a clear commission from God to proclaim the gospel radically, without any compromise.

Schneider, Peter. Lahme tanzen unter der Kanzel: Zeichen und Wunder in den Gottesdiensten von Hermann Zaiss (German Edition) . Asaph Verlag. Kindle Edition.
(Lame men dancing under the pulpit: signs and wonders in the services of Hermann Zaiss)

Hermann started a home group and God blessed this small beginning. A great many desperate neighbours sought God's help.

The meetings grew larger. They prayed together and trusted God to protect them from the bombs.

In November 1944, nearby Solingen was bombed and thousands were killed. Then Hermann Zaiss heard on the radio that the bombers were on their way to his neighbourhood in Ohligs. He went into the garden and prayed for protection and peace.

Shortly afterwards he heard again on the radio that the bombers had turned away for unknown reasons.

On the British side there were also faithful Christians praying for protection.

Colonel Whittlesey was the commander of a British regiment in the Second World War. He was a Christian. He ordered his soldiers to recite Psalm 91 every day. The regiment was in fierce fighting for five years and not a single man was killed.

Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Psalm 91:7 NLT

Now we are again in a life-threatening crisis. Many are dying in India, in Brazil but also in North America and Europe. Many are terrified of the virus and others dread the vaccine.

If God protected many German civilians from bombing during the war and also saved British soldiers, you can be sure that he can also help you at this time and wants to save you.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. Ps 91:1–3 NKJV

For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. Psalm 91:3 NLT

Simple Faith in a Crisis

In this crisis, we need to follow the news. Most of the news is about Coronavirus. It crowds out everything else. It can dominate your thinking.

We then hear rumours and dark speculative theories. Some may be true, but many not.
Anxiety and confusion takes hold of good people. People panic.

Very rich people can use the economic crisis to take control of nations and global systems.
In such a time, powerful people can manipulate us to offer false hope, or to instil fear and resignation.

Suicides will inevitably increase, but they are mostly not reported.
 
So what can you do?
Avoid risks. Wash your hands. Be sensible.

But if you believe in Jesus, this can be your hour. If the world around you is shaking, you can trust in an all powerful God with simple faith.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalms 103:2-5
It is time, not only to believe in God, but to seek His immediate presence. Jesus spoke to Christians in the Bible 2000 years ago. He is speaking to you and me today.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Rev 3:20 NLT
We use this text to reach out to unbelievers when we evangelise, but Jesus was not speaking to unbelievers here. We often invite unbelievers to invite Jesus into their lives, while we believe in Jesus from a distance.

Before this crisis, we hugged our friends and kissed our families, but we kept Jesus at a distance. Now we must keep our friends at a distance. It is time to be close to Jesus.