God is bigger than the pandemic

 “My dad’s stronger than your dad.”

How many times did we hear that as kids?

When we consider our Heavenly Father, it’s true. Our Father is the strongest. No question.

That sounds like a platitude, especially when the whole world is focused on a dreaded disease called Coronavirus or COVID-19.

We’ve all read the news stories, seen the online posts, and received the urgent emails. Countries are canceling nearly every kind of gathering, meeting, session, or other event. In some spots, only those businesses deemed “essential” remain open.

It’s serious stuff.

What do we do?

People of faith can lead the way, or we can tremble and cower. The Lord calls us to be responsible, employing God-given wisdom and discernment. But He also instructs us to care for one another.

Where does that put us, at such a time?

I think we can’t throw caution to the wind and go out to dance in a crowd. But we still need to love people.

We don’t take unnecessary risks. We try to follow the government guidelines (See 1 Peter 2:13 and Romans 13:1.) and heed medical experts’ instructions. But we still stand strong in our faith. 

 The Coronavirus pandemic did not catch God by surprise.

Jehovah Jireh promises to provide for us. (See Matthew 6:25-27.) Can we stock up without stockpiling? That’s called stewardship.

We can reach out in all sorts of ways to those who are distressed by the current crisis.

God may call some of us to step out and provide practical helps for those who cannot leave their homes. Countless ministries are ramping up their activities to serve those most impacted by the coronavirus and related quarantines.

Many of us will find other ways to encourage and support those who are struggling. All of us can pick up our phones, tap out texts, send emails, or otherwise offer comfort and courage to one another. How many churches have broadcasted their Sunday services and midweek ministries online in these trying times?

And before we throw proverbial stones at those who are taking extreme precautions or none, maybe we can all examine our own hearts. This message hits me hard, as I wash my hands for the umpteenth time. How clean is my heart?

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners;

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

(James 4:8, NKJV)

Practicing social distancing (the current buzzword for self-imposed separation to avoid catching or sharing contagions) is the responsible thing to do. It doesn’t take an epidemiologist to do the simple math on how this thing can continue to spread, if unchecked.

But social distancing can turn us inward. Will we focus on ourselves and our own interests, or can we use at least some of this slower-paced time to turn upward? Will we stop and make ourselves open to hearing from God in these quieter moments? Many will.

God is bigger than COVID-19.

 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.

Is anything too hard for me?”

(Jeremiah 32:27, ESV)

 

Our loving Creator takes no pleasure in seeing people suffer. Death does not delight Him. I believe He grieves to see His children languishing and losing battles with disease and death. At the same time, He knows (better than anyone) that we live in a fallen world.

• Heartbreaks happen.
• Pain is present (and constant for many).
• Infections occur.
• People ignore instructions at their own and others’ cost.
• Death is real.

God has not checked out, though. No way. He’s walking this troubling road with us.

Will God keep believers safe from the pandemic?

The Lord is our healer. Plenty of people are claiming immunity-by-faith, reciting Scriptures like this one:

 “Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.”

(Psalm 103:2-4, NLT, emphasis added).

Jehovah Rapha is surely able to do that. And one day, He will. But will He choose to remove the current threat (or existing infection) for all of us?

The Lord He heals in all kinds of ways – and maybe not how we expect Him to.

 God doesn’t always remove the storm. Most often, He takes us through it instead.

I’m banking on it. Are you?

Let’s pray for protection – and not just for ourselves.

Let’s ask God to guard our loved ones. Pray His shield over medical professionals, emergency responders, and others who continue to show up for work.

May we join forces to entreat the Lord to cause this plague to pass quickly. And may He be glorified in the midst of this storm, drawing hearts to His own.

Let’s be cautious, but not fearful. Let’s try hard, but not be terrorized. Let’s be wary, but not worried. Really, there’s a difference.

 “So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

(Isaiah 41:10, NIV)

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Maybe worry isn't all bad

I’ve been a little worried lately. OK, maybe more than a little. I admit it. Does that diminish my faith? I used to think so, but I don’t anymore.

Maybe worry isn’t all bad, at least for a bit.

But wait. Doesn’t the Bible tell us not to worry? It absolutely does. Scan the Psalms, Proverbs, or the New Testament words of Christ, and you will find tons of examples that say, “do not worry” (or “fret not” in older versions). 

Maybe worrying isn't all bad.

 

But we do worry sometimes, don’t we?

I don’t think our worrying surprises God at all. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had a lot to say about worries (see Matthew 6:25-34).  The Lord was fully aware that people would worry about life, food, clothing, and other daily concerns. He knew we would be concerned about our families, our friends, and the future. And He offered assurance.

Here’s an example:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)

What worries rob you of your rest?

Maybe you face financial struggles, a troubling medical diagnosis, or a difficult relationship. Perhaps you are a parent, concerned about your kids. You may be disturbed by political, social, legal, or criminal crises.

I’m not talking here about ongoing clinically diagnosable anxiety disorders, panic attacks, or phobias, although I believe God can make a difference for us all. For the purposes of this post, I’m fighting in faith with the kind of periodic worries that tend to plague us during stressful seasons of life.

So I have to admit I have done a fair amount of fretting lately. But I don’t want to stay there indefinitely.

What happens when we camp out in fret-land?

Don’t we become restless? We lose sleep. We carry an extra emotional burden, until we give it over to God. It feels like we are carrying backpacks filled with heavy emotional rocks. That’s what the Apostle Peter was talking about, when he reassured believers about God’s care for us.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NLT)

Peter didn’t say, “Give all your worries and cares to God, if you ever happen to have any of those.” He assumed we would. But he pointed us to the answer.

Paul offered similar advice, including a hopeful note about how God can bring wholeness and peace to settle us down in our most worried seasons.

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” (Philippians 4:6-7. MSG)

God invites us to bring our concerns to Him, rather than brooding endlessly over them. And He doesn’t judge us when we come to Him with a big pile of worry rocks. It’s how we demonstrate our faith, declaring our trust in His care.

“Our Lord, we belong to you. We tell you what worries us, and you won’t let us fall.” (Psalm 55:22, CEV)

When we pitch our tents in the valley of worry, our thoughts tend to race ahead, uphill in every direction. We toss and turn in our beds. We grow distracted and anxious. We reload our backpacks with those stinking stones of stress. The King James Bible describes this so well, but includes a sweet description of how our loving God can bring us comfort in this distress.

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:19, KJV)

I love that. Lately, I have had a multitude of thoughts whirling in my head, especially in the wee hours of the night. But I am aiming to take those thoughts captive (see 2 Corinthians 10:5) and give them to God. Often, I find that I have to do that again and again and again. But I believe that process drives us to deeper faith.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

So maybe worry isn’t all bad. If worry makes us care more and serve more and pray more, then maybe it can be a catalyst for change. Maybe it can lead us closer to the One who stands outside time and knows the future and truly loves us. Perhaps worry can lead us to genuine peace.

That’s no platitude, because it’s a gritty process.

In the meantime, I’m wrestling with worry. I want to become a prayer warrior, even though I know warriors are made in battles, not bliss. And freedom often comes after a fight.

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