Coronavirus, God, and "I'm that guy"
When the world seems to be turning upside down, it’s easy for Christians to feel stressed. That’s because our flesh desperately desires to control circumstances. The stress compounds when we’re surrounded by people who are also seeking control over the uncontrollable situation of the coronavirus. Add to that the 24-hour news cycle feeding on fear, and those feelings intensify.
From the perspective of the gospel, a worldwide crisis is, first and foremost, an opportunity to rely on Jesus in ways that validate His claims. Trusting Jesus through this coronavirus emergency is proclaiming what we believe in such a way that we offer other people the comfort of His love. Either Jesus is the Lord of Creation and history (Colossians 1:15-20) or He isn’t. Either His Father is perfectly reliable and strong, or He’s not.
The most often repeated command in the Bible is, “Fear not.” Jesus Himself promised “that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). To trust Jesus during tough times is to experience a deep shift in how we see and think and act. It is a shift of attention in which we set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-4). Calmly following Jesus in a crisis is a test of discipleship.
What is our security base? God or politicians? The words of Jesus or our go-to cable news outlet? That is what Jesus would ask. He says we cannot put our security in God and also in this world. We have to make a choice. Our trust, our basic trust, Jesus teaches, has to be in God.
All those questions I asked I’m having to live out today, March 12, 2020. You see, I’m that guy. I’m the guy who belongs to the group most threatened by this virus. I’m seventy years old (Sigh, it’s true!). I live with a chronic disease and respiratory issues. I nebulize six times a day. When I finish this blog I’ll inject myself with immune suppressants that temper the malaise of my disease.
I’m taking responsibility. I’m washing my hands, canceling travel, and staying away from crowds. That’s a useful plan. But I’m not panicking. Panic is never a useful plan. Panic never glorifies the God we say we trust.
When this is over, you won’t hear a Christian say, “I wish I’d panicked more.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV).