Facing the Coronavirus
All our lives have been drastically altered by a tiny organism none of us can see without a powerful microscope. COVID 19 has upended our world in ways none of us ever imagined. How should we respond to such sudden and pervasive change?
For Christians, our first response should always be to seek God’s will in His Word. Never in our lifetimes has the truth of James 4:13-17 been more obviously displayed. “Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.”
The old saying, “One day at a time,” is really true every day and not just during hard times. One day is all any of us ever get and we aren’t even promised all of today. So let’s use what we have right now to do whatever good we can while we can.
Secondly, and even more importantly, let’s allow this pandemic to force us to face some questions we might otherwise never consider. Where is our security and peace? Are we depending on the government or medicine to save us? Are we looking to Wall Street or science to give us hope and purpose? If so, the events of the last few weeks reveal that such faith is ill-founded.
Human beings just like us faced monumental troubles thousands of years ago as well and one of them, King David, declared, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” We will not panic because a loving God is ultimately in control!
Whenever I hear “refuge,” I think of a secure castle on a high hill into which citizens may go and escape danger. God is that place for all who will come to Him through His Son Jesus. And He will protect us there with His mighty hand.
Later in Psalm 46, David goes on to give excellent advice in the midst of this crisis, “Be still, and know that I am God...The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Redeem some of this downtime to be still and know God. Remember that He is all-mighty. There is nothing beyond His permissive will or ability to stop. In the midst of the craziness, may we remember that God has not abdicated His throne, nor gone to sleep at the switch.
It’s critical to remember that there are those among us who have gone through much suffering. For example, those who went through WWII and its rationing and uncertainty. Let’s take the opportunity to learn from their stories and the resilience. In addition, humanity has gone through serious pandemics. In recent history it was smallpox and the flu pandemic of 1918-1919. Let’s learn from the stories of faith and ways of coping that came from those experiences. Continue to pray for all the sick, healthcare workers, first responders, and researchers and God’s special care on their behalf.
Contracting or even dying from this virus is not the worst that can happen. The worst is to die from any cause without Jesus. The virus of sin is 100% fatal and we’re all infected with it already. None of us will leave earth alive anyway unless Jesus comes first, so the most important thing is to be ready by accepting Him as our Savior now and by glorifying Him every day.
As we all face coronavirus together, may we use our sanitizer, practice social distancing, and be wise. More importantly, let us also consider the important questions it raises and seek our answers and our security in all-mighty God.
Blessings and health,
George Bowers
March 25, 2020
