Living in my isolated, sans-social media life has its pros and cons. Recently, one of the biggest cons has been the lack of current news about the latest coronavirus, COVID-19. However, too, one of the biggest pros has been not getting wrapped up in the viral fear online in relation to COVID-19.
Are you afraid to catch this coronavirus?
Allow me to speak a few truths into your life in this culture’s fearful moment:
God made you. The Lord God fashioned you from his own creativity and intentionality (Jer. 1:5). He formed your body in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139, Isa. 44:24), and declared a plan over your life (Jer. 29:11, Isa. 49:1).
Despite a sinful world, God is in control. God in heaven had a perfect relationship with humanity until that same humanity welcomed evil and disobedience into the world (Gen. 2-3). Because of the disobedience, something far worse than any plague or virus has swept the earth since then… sin (Rom. 3:23, Gal. 5:19-21). Because of this sin, we all had earned the punishment of death in separation from God, from hope, from healing (Col. 3:5-6, James 4:17, Isa. 64:6). Yet God is still in control and did not leave us helpless (Isa. 41:10, Zeph. 3:17).
Your life matters to God. Though the sin that overtakes the world is powerful, our God is stronger still (Job 9:19, Job 9:4, Psalm 147:5, 1 Cor. 1:25). And years ago, He made a way for healing to come to our land and hearts that were ravaged with hate, selfishness, and disobedience. He who had no fault or wrong in Him chose to take our punishment of death (Rom. 3:25-26, 2 Cor. 5:21, Gal. 3:13). He took our place because He loves us (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8, 1 John 4:19,). Your life matters to God (Job 12:10, Isa. 44:2, Eph. 1:4).
God wants a relationship with you. He died in our place in order to restore the original relationship we had with Him (Heb. 10:1, Col. 1:22, Heb. 10:14). The fantastic part is that to re-enter this relationship, all we must do is ask for forgiveness for our sin, turn from the ways of disobedience, and pursue God as our authority (1 John 1:9, Acts 3:19, Isa. 1:18, Eph. 1:7). He will then forgive us and welcome us into a life of joy and hope (2 Cor. 5:17, Daniel 9:9, Col. 1:13-14, Micah 7:18-19).
You can have courage and joy, even now. When we have a relationship with God, we will still have struggles (John 16:33). We will still face pandemics, and fear, and death, and hurt. But the Bible tells us that we will not mourn or weep as everyone else does, no (1 Thess. 4:13, John 17:14-19)! We live life in full knowledge of the pain in this life and still recognize God as the source of courage and joy (James 1:2-3, Psalm 47:1, 1 Pet. 1:8-9, Rom. 15:13)!
God has long addressed humanity with a declaration to not be afraid. He repeats this declaration multiple times in the Bible, not because he reacts as a frustrated dictator, but because He draws near as a comforting Father. He says we shouldn’t fear because He is with us (Is. 41:10). He says He is the perfect keeper of your trust (Psalm 56:3). He says He has left His peace with us (John 14:27). He says He has offered us power, love and sound judgement in place of our fear (2 Tim. 1:7). He says we are His (Isa. 43:1).
So whether you’re afraid of the coronavirus, of being unemployed, of being childless, of being alone, of being purposeless, of being hurt, or of anything… come to God.
