“Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Yahweh, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.”

Jeremiah 9: 24

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Psalm 91: A Guide for the Perplexed

The media is fixated on COVID-19. Information about coronavirus has become a staple in our diet.

Democrats are using COVID-19 as a weapon against President Trump. They believe that frightening us improves the likelihood that they will win the 2020 presidential election. That’s the only explanation for the hype that makes sense.

H1N1 v. COVID-19

The H1N1 virus was much worse than COVID-19. There was no hype in 2009 when H1N1 hit us. There should be no hype now, either.

H1N1 was a flu virus. COVID-19 is a pneumonia virus. Even so, it’s helpful to understand what H1N1 did. See “Compare: 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Versus the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic”:

“The 2009 H1N1 pandemic originated in the United States before spreading around the world. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that from April 12, 2009 to April 10, 2010, there were 60.8 million H1N1 cases, with 274,304 hospitalizations and 12,469 deaths in the U.S. alone. They also estimate that worldwide, 151,700 to 575,400 people died from (H1N1)pdm09 during the first year. Unusually, about 80% of the deaths were in people younger than 65 years of age.”

Click here to see up-to-date statistics on COVID-19. The site is updated several times a day. You may want to refer back to it from time to time.

The trajectory of COVID-19 suggests that it won’t cause as much damage as H1N1 caused. Keep that in mind.

Don’t Be Afraid

As I said, there is only one logical explanation for all the hype associated with COVID-19. It’s being used by Democrats and the media as a political weapon against President Trump. In that sense, it is similar to the Russia collusion investigation, the impeachment hearings in the House, and the impeachment trial in the Senate. They were hyped, too, for the same reason.

To avoid the hysteria that’s spreading faster in our country than coronavirus, you should do the following:

Ignore the hype.
Don’t be afraid.
Take reasonable precautions.
Stop watching television news channels. Intentionally or unintentionally, they are doing a lot of damage. The media is not our friend.

President Trump’s Coronavirus Guidelines

See “The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America: 15 Days to Slow the Spread”. The guidelines are reasonable, and they will be effective if we follow them:

Listen to and follow the directions of your state and local authorities.

If you feel sick, stay home. Do not go to work. Contact your medical provider.

If your children are sick, keep them at home. Do not send them to school. Contact your medical provider.

If someone in your household has tested positive for the coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not go to school. Contact your medical provider.

If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people.

If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you at increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people.

Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others. It is critical that you do your part to stop the spread of the coronavirus:

Work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible.
If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule. You and your employers should follow CDC guidance to protect your health at work.
Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.
Avoid eating or drinking in bars, restaurants, and food courts – use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options.
Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.
Do not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.

Practice good hygiene:

Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface.
Avoid touching your face.
Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible.

If we will follow those simple guidelines, we can knock out COVID-19 and get on with our lives.

We Have a Protector

Remember that Yahweh is our Protector. Throughout our lives, He has watched over us and protected us from harm, most of the time without us even realizing it.

At times like these, we need a reminder. Psalm 91 explains what Yahweh is doing for us. Read it carefully. I refer to Psalm 91 as “A Guide for the Perplexed”. Calling on Yahweh is the smartest thing we can do.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High [El Elyon] will abide in the shadow of the Almighty [El Shaddai].

[El Elyon (אֵ֥ל עֶלְיֹֽון) and El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) are two Names for Yahweh. El Elyon focuses on Yahweh’s strength, sovereignty, and absolute supremacy. El Shaddai portrays Yahweh as the all-powerful warrior Elohim protecting and defending His people. Beginning Psalm 91 with those Names is telling us that Yahweh is the solution to all of our problems. We can rest in Him.]

I will say to Yahweh, “My refuge and my fortress, my Elohim, in whom I trust!”

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge. His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made Yahweh, my refuge, even the Most High [El Elyon], your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him securely on high, because he has known My Name. He will call upon Me [“by Name” is implied], and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”

Call on Yahweh by Name

Yahweh is speaking in Psalm 91: 14-16. He is the best protection we will ever have. We need to call on Him by Name.

“The Name of Yahweh is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18: 10)

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“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17: 22-24)