The world is in an unprecedented crisis. When a crisis of any proportion happens, it’s easy to be negatively affected, and to be caught up in giving too much attention to the details and events happening around us. At such times, fear has the power to grip us, and worries have the power to multiply. As believers in Christ, it’s important in times of crisis keep in perspective who God is, and what the scripture teaches us about the truth of God, and His character and nature.
We need to remember what the Bible says about His person, and His purposes in the church and in our individual lives. I pray that the following truths will give encouragement to your heart and put in focus who God is during this crisis. Here are 7 thoughts to consider in response to this virus.
1. God is Sovereign in His Lordship
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come” – Isaiah 46:10
“ … the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” – Eph. 1:11(b)
God is sitting on His throne in heaven. Sitting is a position of rest. God’s authority is not affected by this crisis, and He isn’t worried, or facing anxiety concerning this. Christ is ruling and reigning in the midst of this global pandemic, and His Lordship means that He has a purpose for what He is doing, and concerning what He allows.
God in His sovereignty has purposes and designs that are beyond our understanding. We need to trust Him as the sovereign Lord during these days.
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways past finding out.” – Romans 11:33
2. God is Perfect in His Goodness
“The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works.” – Psalm 145:9
God’s goodness is His essential nature. He is intrinsically good. He always is and He always will be good. 1 John 4:8 states that “God is love,” but we must understand that God doesn’t only give love, He is love. He himself, is the personification of love. There can be no love in the earth apart from God’s divine nature which He imparts to His creation. The same is true concerning His goodness. God doesn’t just “do” good things. He is good, and he therefore cannot separate Himself from His nature of goodness.
3. God Does All Things Well
A question of “theodicy” challenges the intellect in times like this.
“If God is good and all powerful, why does evil, sickness, and disease exist and persist in the world?”
A lengthy dialogue is needed to answer the questions of “Why does evil and calamity exist?” but in simplicity, these questions can only be answered in context of God’s omniscient (all knowing) nature.
Like Joseph, it seemed impossible that something good was happening when he was unjustly beaten, and abandoned by his brothers, then sold into slavery, then thrown into prison for ten years. After his release God used his leadership to save multitudes from famine, and to be ultimately restored to his family.
In forgiveness he addressed his brothers, saying, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20
Because God knows the “end from the beginning,” which is to say, He knows all things, His working is for an infinitely good outcome of all the events of life and mankind. We may not be able to understand this as we view present evil circumstances, sicknesses, and disease in the world, but we must also rest on the truth of the Word of God, and not on our human reasoning.
Furthermore, the promise of God to us as believers is that “… all things work together for the good to them that love God …” -Romans 8:28
4. Social Distancing does not mean “Relational Distancing.”
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” – Eph 3:14,15
“God sets the solitary in families.” – Psalm 68:6
The church globally, is a family, and family always denotes relationship. We need each other.
During my Bible school days, I made a personal study of the church suffering under communism, reading everything I could get my hands on. I read the books of many pastors who suffered in prison, and I had the chance to meet 3 pastors who were imprisoned for their faith.
In every instance, those who were persecuted and isolated in prison, found their great treasure in their fellowship with other believers in Christ. While in solitary confinement, they all found a way to learn a tapping (morse) code, which they used to hammer out messages on the pipes and walls of their cells. The joy was when a believer would respond, and when they would pray together with taps. Their great joy was also being able to share the gospel in this way. (Imagine praying with someone to receive Christ, by tapping out letters in code. Yes, it happened, and it may be going on now among the persecuted in Christ.)
The church during this virus, is staying connected in so many ways. Keep on. We’ll soon be able to see each other face to face again!
5. God is more powerful than this virus
He who conquered death and the grave has power over all sickness and disease, including any strain and mutation of an unknown virus. God’s nature is healing. He affirmed this by revealing “healing” as one of His names. (Ex. 15:26)
Our trust and confidence must not rest in our medical community or upon our own ability alone to keep ourselves healthy.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
Our trust and confidence should not rest in our natural resources and strengths, but in the Lord Himself.
The power of God in in times of crisis, can be manifested as “peace that surpasses understanding.” (Phil. 4:7). Allow the all powerful peace of God bring you security in these troublesome days.
Furthermore, God desires to use us in prayer in opposition to this virus. Just like Jesus cursed the fig tree and it dried up by it’s roots (Mark 11:12-25), He instructed his disciples (and us) that we can pray in agreement concerning mountains and insurmountable obstacles. We as the church are called to pray. We do need to pray against this virus.
Upon visiting the tomb on Resurrection Sunday, the women who came to anoint the deceased body of Jesus, remembered the huge stone that covered the grave of Christ, and the said to each other, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb?” – Mk 16:3.
It is the Risen Christ who has the power to roll away the stone of this virus. Let’s believe, and let’s pray that this thing will be removed from the earth.
6. This virus is a reminder to us that this world is not our final home
David wrote, “I am a stranger in the earth.” – Psalm 119:19
We need to be reminded that we are “citizens of heaven.” (Philippians 3:20) This not only pertains to our future life with Christ in eternity, but today, here and now.
If you’ve ever gone camping, you know that your tent, camper, trailer, etc. is a temporary place to stay while you’re away from home. You don’t pack everything you own when you go camping, nor do you put all of your resources and investment into camping stuff, because you know it’s only temporary. Interestingly, this analogy is a biblical one.
Paul said … “For we know that if the tent of our earthly house should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” – 2 Cor. 5:1
Peter taught us … “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my earthly tent, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me.” – 2 Peter 1:14
As believers, we need to remember that all the security, comfort, and the enjoyment and pleasures of this life are temporary. We need to keep in mind the idea that “we’re just camping,” and that heaven is our real and permanent home.
7. Jesus will never leave us or forsake us.
The great promise of scripture is that Christ will not leave us or forsake us. We belong to Him, God is our heavenly father. He loves us and will not abandon us.
“… for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5
Jesus is forever with us. In good times and in difficult times.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” – Isaiah 43:2
“How comprehensive is the love of Jesus! There is no part of His people’s interests which He does not consider, and there is nothing which concerns their welfare which is not important to Him.” – Charles Spurgeon
