The other day when I woke up, my heart was full of gratitude. A night’s sound sleep gave me such joy and satisfaction. At the time of writing, it is the fifth day after I was confirmed COVID positive. Before that, I could hardly sleep even though my body was tired due to non-stop coughing and nasal congestion. Today, I realize that sleep could bring infinite joy, and yet this experience is nothing to be taken for granted. There was nothing I could do to make it happen. It is indeed a great blessing from the gracious God who deeply loves me. The Lord’s love gives me motivation to recount His grace.

      The World Health Organization declared on May 5 that COVID no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I was confirmed positive the next day. But that day also marked the beginning of my experience of God’s love. He watches over me every moment. Looking back on the day I was confirmed positive, I was not as shocked as I had imagined. My heart was unusually calm and peaceful. It was very different from my shock when I knew of my family’s infection. The Lord used three years to prepare me to calmly face my own infection! I also found that this was the week that was relatively most “suitable” for my confirmed infection. Just before this, the Lord gave me the strength and voice to complete leading the prayer meeting on Thursday night. In the past three years, I often worried that any COVID infection on my part would increase the workload of fellow pastors. But in the weekend I was confirmed positive, I did not need to preach or lead the congregation. The Heavenly Father seemed to have taken into account even my unwillingness to add to my co-workers’ workload. This convinced me that what happened to me was not random. My times are in the Lord’s hands (Psalm 31:15). As I write this, I almost burst into tears…

      “You have a temperature – 38.3 degrees. Is this tough for you? Are you dizzy or do you feel like vomiting? Let us know if you feel unwell,” the nurse asked gently and I could feel the warmth. Due to my fever, I had soreness, pain and fatigue all over my body. But very thankfully, I fell into deep sleep after taking the medicine when I went home. The next day, the sickness entered Phase II. I only had a slight fever but the pain in my throat was so severe that it interrupted my sleep. The day after that, I coughed non-stop. I tossed and turned throughout the night and my body was so exhausted that I felt as if I was not even able to get up. I asked myself: What should I do? Then I prayed time and again: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The Lord really heard it, and He said the same thing a few times: “This is the path you must go through, but I am here!” Half awake, I could feel great comfort and strength. Since this is the path I must go through and the Lord is with me, I will accept it! I could feel that the Lord gave me strength to accept the continuous coughing, tossing and turning, but I had peace in my heart. Soon I awakened at daybreak. From that day onwards, my cough and throat soreness slowly subsided, and I could sleep again. When I finished writing, it was Day 7 of my infection. The Lord has restored my health.

      May the Lord Jesus who keeps us every moment bestow healing and comfort so that brothers and sisters and our families who are ill could recover speedily. May we experience the meticulous care and keeping of the Lord together.