A Prayer to Our Mighty Breaker of All Outbreaks

Our almighty God, the mighty Breaker of all outbreaks,

All sinners deserve to receive the due punishments caused by our lust, idolatry, sexual immorality, pride, and selfishness. However, you are gracious and compassionate and know our weakness and sinfulness, so that you “do not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10).  If you had done so according to our transgressions, no one will be breathing his or her breath. Even if you expressed your fierce anger upon us, we cannot defend ourselves from your righteous and holy indignation.

Yet, you spoke to Solomon to seek you in the midst of darkness: “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2Chr. 7:13-14). So, we humble ourselves and beg of your mercy during this time of a pandemic to break the chains of death, fear, anxiety, sin, diseases, suffering, economic crisis, anger, selfishness, pride, and grief.

As we reflect on the blood that you shed for us and demonstrated your amazing grace on the cross, we believe that you still love us with your holy, redeeming, relentless, and sovereign love and that you hear our prayers and agonies (1John 3:22). We remind ourselves of all the benefits for you are a God “who forgives all our sins, heals all our diseases, redeems our life from the pit, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfy our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:2-5). You commanded us: “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be given you (John 15:7). This is the confidence we have in approaching you.

Therefore, despite the outbreak of coronavirus…

We profess that this is not a time to fear the virus but a sacred time to fear the Creator of the universe. We remember Daniel, who was thrown into the den of lions but chose to fear you instead of the lions, was delivered by your mighty hand, for “[t]he angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). Surround us with your angels as we look to you and fear the name of the LORD.

We confess that this is not a time for division but unity as one humanity and world. Do not let the virus continue causing conflict, hate, discrimination, and violence among humanity, for all of us have been made in your image and likeness to be loved and forgiven by one another (Gen. 1:27). Help us to pursue unity and “live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18). We the children of God are peacemakers, not troublemakers (Matt. 5:9).

We declare that it is a time to be merciful to others, as you are merciful to us (Luke 6:36). When epidemic hit the early church communities, your people took care of those who were weak and vulnerable and could not leave their places. Help us to be merciful and generous to our brothers and sisters especially to those who struggle with finance and are weak physically and advanced in age. Move us to share our resource such as water, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper that we stacked in our storage.

We affirm that it is a time to exercise our faith in you. We do not understand why this coronavirus is affecting humanity in this massive scale and why you have allowed this outbreak to impact your loved ones. Still, you are a sovereign God who is in control over every detail of the affair of this world and can purify every particle in the air. Therefore, we still trust in you, glorify your holy and almighty name, and rejoice over you: “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’” (1Chron. 16:29-31).

Therefore, we will fear you who is over the pandemic, stand on the ground of your words and promises, pursue unity and peace over division and trouble, practice generosity and mercy to those in needs, and act in confidence, gratitude, and joy. You alone are the mighty Breaker of all out breaks. Have mercy on us. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.