There is no denying that life on our little planet is a little crazy right now. The coronavirus has managed to upend nearly everything normal in our lives, from work and vacations to the simple pleasure of having a cup of coffee at our favorite coffee shop.
Or is this actually true? Is the coronavirus the sole source of upheaval in our lives? Or can it also be contributed to the paralyzing fear that has seemed to grip even the sanest of minds and caused the embrace of mass panic, leading to total chaos at the local grocery store as people fight over the last can of beans?
I am in no way dismissing the seriousness of the virus. Clearly it can be a killer, and we would be remiss if we did not take precautions to protect ourselves and, particularly, the most vulnerable in our society—our loved ones who are elderly, immunocompromised, or have other underlying health issues.
I understand a great deal of the fear is derived from the fact that we simply have not seen something like this unfold during our lifetime. Please note I say “our lifetime”, because the truth is epidemics are not new to our world. They have occurred countless times in human history, and I don’t doubt those who experienced such terrors as the Bubonic Plague, cholera, Black Death, and countless others were just as afraid as we are now.
But as I take a step back to observe the world and its emotional response, I can’t help but notice there is something far worse than a virus taking a toll on my fellow humans—joy snuffed out by the dark clouds of mindless worry and blind panic.
I am particularly concerned for my fellow Christians, and the crux of this message is directed towards you, sweet brothers and sisters. A quick Google search indicates God tells us 365 times in His Word not to worry or be afraid. So let me ask a question now (to which I know we already know the answer): How many times does He tell us to panic and assume the world is out of control and that God doesn’t have it under His wing and we clearly need to worry ourselves into a frenzy?
Zero.
What does He tell us to do instead? Pray, dear friends. Prayer is never the wrong answer. And that brings me to what God laid on my heart this morning.
“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NIV)
I’m not sure exactly why God laid this verse so heavily on my heart today. But it sprang into my mind and wouldn’t let go. Which must mean it’s important…which must mean it’s something I need to share. If God’s people will embrace true humility, and will choose to submit themselves to complete obedience to God’s will (this includes repenting of the sin of worry and self-reliance, aka PRIDE) and then acknowledging our future belongs to Him and Him alone…if we seek His face earnestly, understanding God will hear the prayers of His repentant people, and that our prayers are the conduit to His love, grace, and mercy…we will find forgiveness, and we will find healing for our land.
Be careful! I’m not promising that God is going to wipe out the coronavirus (although He most certainly could, and who knows, maybe He will!). But there are different kinds of healing available to us. Specifically, healing of the ravages of fear and worry on our physical bodies and souls.
God’s will for our lives is not that we will live in a state of perpetual fear. Jesus tells us that while the enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy (and can I just say, this pandemic has the enemy’s fingerprints all over it?), He came that we would have not just life, but abundant life. Not a life cowering in a bunker surrounded by 480 rolls of toilet paper and 50 cans of Lysol wipes, but a life on full display that radiates God’s joy and peace and draws unbelievers in because they want what we have.
In summary…let’s live the life God wants us to live. A life dictated not by fear, but by ongoing repentance and prayer and peace. And while you’re at it, pray big my friends! If you don’t pray big prayers, you can’t really expect big answers. So once you’ve repented of whatever sins are standing between you and the floodgates of God’s mercy and asked for healing of our land from the ravages of mass panic and fear, go ahead and pray for what we all want: a miraculous and sudden end to the pandemic, a cure identified by the scientists working around the clock to find it, and healing for those who are already sick.
Just remember as you pray for these things the words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel chapter 3: “But even if He does not [deliver us]…we will not serve your gods…” Even if God does not deliver us from the pestilence, still we will serve and worship Him, because He alone is good.
Go serve our good God and walk in peace, my friends.