The world of COVID-19 through one man’s lens – a personal perspective and cry to the Lord by John Barber – a prayer inspired by the prophet Habakkuk 03/04/20 (updated 15/05/20)

Pious platituders

Armchair activists

Obedient oppressors

Omniscient observers

Irresponsible ignorers

Who ignore calls to

Do as you’re told

To self-isolate

Stay at home

Stay safe

And by the way

Wash your hands

Thoroughly, often

Put on a face mask

Keep your distance

Keep out of the way

Don’t pass anything on

Especially if not needed

Especially if old or infirm

But let those who can – do

Our wonderful NHS workers

Menial workers matter now

Essential service providers

Matters of life and death

Free and not free

Heavy handed

Sudden and cruel

Concerned and willing

Knowledge and ignorance

Disempowered and uninformed

Proportionate and disproportionate

Communicate and miscommunicate

Official and alternative narratives

Information and misinformation

Responsible and irresponsible

Unexpected and unavoided

Reaction and over-reaction

National and international

Freedom and slavery

Hoax and truth

What is going on

Fools and villains

And the good guys

Deciding who is who

More collateral damage

Re-discover what matters

Shut it all down – unless

We need it to survive

Open spaces open

Unless at home

Social lockdown

Social distancing

Can’t visit relatives

Economic meltdown

Economy via the ether

Small business going under

Taken over by the big guns

Internet is now a utility

Cyber police reigns in

Smart apps rescue us

Shop for essentials

Queues and gaps

The blame game

Fear and anger

People are scared

People in the dark

People are confused

People are deceived

People are manipulated

Knowing what we should do

Wisdom before the event

Wisdom during the event

Wisdom after the event

Experts divided on

What is going on

What is needed

False religion

Fake news

But who

Cyber Censor

Only the truth

Truth covered up

Anything to save us

Wanting to know the truth

It is that which will set us free

Many questions and few answers

Helplessness and hopefulness

Encouraged and discouraged

Unexpected opportunities

Noble and crass

Help the helpless

Everyone matters

Trump the villain

Trump the hero

Boris in charge

Boris in bed

Gates the hero

Gates the villain

Heads in the sand

WHO can’t be serious

Regards Chinese virus

CCP the good guys

CCP the bad guys

Obedience to God

Or the government

Trust the government

Distrust the government

Media manipulation

Concerned citizens

Frustrated citizens

Deceived citizens

Social distancing

Social isolation

Social media

Clean air

Sabbath rest

Heroes and heroism

Kindness and empathy

Tolerance and patience

Trying to help

Doing our bit

Helping others

When and as best we can

Taking each day as it comes

Thankful for each new day

Homeless with no home

Gaps and do gooders

Simple things matter

What is important

What is not

Positivity

Catch up

Tidy the house

Affairs in order

Take up a hobby

Talk to loved ones

Help a neighbor

Phone a friend

Draw a picture

Solve a puzzle

Write a book

Read and reflect

Cultivate  garden

Time to fret fritter

Time to seek the Lord

While He may be found

Watch and pray and do

For all the whole world

Counting your blessings

Bless those who suffer

Happened o so quickly

Alarms from China but will blow away

From Italy to Iran onto everywhere

From living life normally

And in no time at all

Complete lockdown

Church to conform

Citizens to comply

Heavy handed

Lock or unlock

It could get worse

It could get better

Abnormal

Post normal

What is normal

Accept what you are told

Question what you are told

How long – who knows

Lord – you know

Pandemic

Happenstance

Ginormous hoax

God’s judgement

Govenment knows

Government ignorant

Government inept

Conspiracy theory

Conspiracy fact

Evidence

Models

5G

JFK

9/11

1984

Pizzagate

Darkness exposed

Abortion genocide

Vaccine heals

Vaccine kills

Killing the saints

Satan’s throne

Deep State

Brave new world

Control by hidden hand

People dependent on drugs

People merged with machines

Know outcome; know journey

Big brother is watching you

New World Order saves us

False prophet; world religion

One world government

The elite, your masters

Global re-alignment

Coerce and control

Conform or else

Little people

Pushed aside

Bow to tyranny

Virus to destroy

Vaccinate to restore

Movements tracked

And more control

Freedom denied

Cashless society

Mark of the Beast

Deceive the Elect

False flags to dupe

Climate change hoax

Usher in the bad guys

World under a cosh

Untold distress

Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy

God wants our attention

Wake up you good people

New World Order pushed back

Good guys are winning

End times harvest

Bad guys exposed

For a period

Time to reap

Startling revelations

Righteousness and justice

Scales falling from our eyes

Perspectives valid and not

And after the darkness

Before the darkness

And then the light

When He reigns

A door of hope

A time of grace

Phoenix from Ashes

Back to normal

A new normal

How long Lord

Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy

Honour of Thy name

Judgment and mercy

Return now to the Lord

Remember the Covenant

Call on the Lord to save us

O man, He is your only hope

Church shut (unless Rodney)

Churches comply

Churches react

Christians awoke

Christians awake

Real church arises

Body bride building

Its finest hour looms

That they may be one

That the world will know

Saviour of mankind

Lord of lords

King of kings

Kingdom authority

Worship His majesty

Power flows from His Throne

To Him be glory, honour and praise

Making a way when no other way

Unprecedented opportunity

Passover and Pentecost

Awesome is our God

It’s about Him; not us

It is time to seek the Lord

God works in mysterious ways

His wonders to perform

He is on His Throne

He never left it

He has our number

And He can’t be shut down

His is the ONLY agenda

That truly matters

And will prevail

He comes soon

Great God

Great Command

Great Commission

So, trust in the Lord

I say, trust in the Lord

Psalm 91 

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.