In April last year of 2020, the news of the deadly virus, COVID-19, took the world by storm which crippled normal living and business operations globally which continued to the present moment. (COVID-19 Situation Reports, 2020)
In the 1930s, the world as we know it experienced the severe worldwide “Economic Depression” which began in the United States and spread across countries due to dependencies. In the 1950s there was war declared upon Israel by Egypt, the UK, and France (all World Powers) which was dubbed, the “Suez Crisis”, which in turn affected the world again due to dependencies. That was a war to control a canal, the Suez Canal. (History.com Editors, 2021)
There was also international “Debt Crisis”, also referred to as a general term for a proliferation of massive public debt relative to tax revenues, especially in reference to Latin American countries during the 1980s, the United States and the European Union since the mid-2000s, and the Chinese debt crises of 2015. (Abdulaziz Alshareef, 2012)
Between 2007 and 2009 we saw or heard of the “Great Recession” which was a period of great decline in world resources (the rich hoard up for themselves while the poor suffer from great need). (History.com Editors, 2019)
To this list, we could keep going and this article would be even more lengthy but hey, there’s hope in a world of crisis. The purpose of the church is to be a beacon on a hill (Matt. 5:14). Jesus came here on earth as that beacon to a dying world. When he was leaving, he said, I go now but I will send you a comforter (the Holy Spirit) who will guide and comfort you during these times. He is with the church and for all those who feel lost especially in these times of crisis, God commissioned and equipped the church with all the resources to provide help and comfort (mentally, physically, spiritually, and even financially where possible). The church is that beacon during these times of crisis!
References:
COVID-19 situation reports. (2020, April 3). Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. https://www.gavi.org/news-resources/document-library/covid-19-situation-reports
History.com Editors. (2021, April 27). Suez Crisis. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/suez-crisis
Abdulaziz Alshareef, A. A. (2012). https://www.kau.edu.sa/Files/320/Researches/61836_32803.pdf. Journal of King Abdulaziz University Engineering Sciences, 23(1), 21–37. https://doi.org/10.4197/eng.23-1.2
History.com Editors. (2019, October 11). Great Recession. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/recession