I've tried in past years to place myself in the disciples' shoes during the week leading up to Christ's crucifixion, but have never felt as if the fit was as perfect, or eerily similar as it is right now.
The chaos and confusion we have found ourselves in since March 13 has given me a taste of what the disciples must have experienced during The Last Supper. Throughout His ministry, Jesus continually tried to prepare His disciples for the end- repeatedly referencing His impending death and resurrection, but they were too busy focusing on the here and now to let it sink in.
Suddenly, the fellowship they had come to love was abruptly interrupted by the reality of what Christ had been sharing with them all along. Within three days, the world grew dark and hope seemed like a far off concept that none of them could grasp.
I don't claim to understand the desperate feeling the disciples experienced during those horrific days, but I would argue that the nature of our current events gets us fairly close. Never in our lifetimes have we experienced the rapid change in circumstances in such an unthinkable way than we have through this pandemic.
Within a matter of days, our lives drastically changed as schools closed, entertainment and social venues shuttered, small business went dark, daily supplies dwindled, and our ability to leave our home became restricted. The impact has become personal. Lost jobs and critically-ill loved ones are combined with an underlying anxiety that emerges from an unknown expiration date.
Like the disciples, this is the life - the world - Christ has been telling us we would face. His word is a preface for the eternal story He is unfolding. But have you and I believed these words or become too preoccupied by our life here on earth?
In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us that not even He nor the angels in heaven know the hour in which He will return to earth. That day will come upon us like the flood that caused so many unbelievers to perish in Noah's day, or in an ordinary moment like the description of two men working in the field. In the blink of an eye, one of them is suddenly gone. Likewise, in the blink of an eye we will all be faced with eternity in heaven or in hell.
The COVID-19 crisis is teaching us that the things we plan for tomorrow may never come to pass. The conversation we intended to have one day with a loved one about Jesus may be swallowed up by a sudden illness. The financial sacrifice we promised to someday make for the kingdom of God may be stolen by a one-day stock market loss. And worse yet, our decision to turn our own life over to Christ may suddenly expire by His unexpected coming or our premature death.
Now is the time for salvation - at any moment we could be called home. Let's not waste time in confusion or despair like those living in the days leading to Christ's crucifixion. If you don't know Christ, give your life to Him today. If you do know the hope of Christ, then don't wait to share it with those who are perishing.
