By: Chris V Lately, whenever I turn on the news or look at social media, I see stories about Covid-19 (a.k.a. Corona virus). There are people that are currently worried about this new virus. Lots of Christian are wondering how to respond to this outbreak. Are you? I know I have! Let's take a look at what God's Word, the Bible, has to say: But First... Before we look at how to respond to Covid-19, lets take a look at what it is. You may be thinking something along the lines of, "Why? It's a disease that seems to come from nowhere." While that's true, there's something the Covid-19 also is: the result of sin. Remember in the beginning of the book of Genesis where Adam and Eve sinned? Genesis 3:8-11 says, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”'. Eve had been deceived by the serpent, who twisted God's words into a lie. That resulted in Adam and Eve eating the fruit from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This brought sin into the world, which brought brokenness, sickness, and death. Covid-19 is one of the results of the Fall in the Garden of Eden, along with murder, stealing, other types of viruses and disease... the list goes on and on. The good news is, Jesus came to conquer sin and death through dying on the cross! Revelations 21: 1-4 says, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more... And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning , nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away"'. Jesus's death on the cross took on God's wrath that was meant for us, and Jesus conquered death and sin by rising from the dead on the third day (see Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, and John 18-20). That means everyone who believes in Him will get to spend eternity with Him in heaven, and as the promise in Revelation says, there will one day be a new heaven and earth without sin and death! The epidemic of Covid-19 won't last forever (like any other virus). It will one day be gone, like the rest of the results of sin. How Should We Respond? Throughout the ordeal, you may not know where to turn. (Some sources of media may not be the best source to get your news from. For news about Covid-19, check out the CDC and the World Health Organization.) But, there is always someone you can turn to, no matter what: God. God cares about you! First Peter 5:7 says "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you". Another verse tells us that, " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). Cast your fears and anxiety on the Lord, whether it's about Covid-19, school, or anything else! God cares about whatever it is, and He will give you peace. Also, we should trust God through this! Psalm 62:8 says, "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us". God is our refuge at all times; He knows what He's doing. There is nothing that is out of His control. God's Got You Even when the world feels out of control, God's still in control. He knows everything that's going on; His plan is perfect. Matthew 6:34 says,"Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble". We don't need to be in fear of Covid-19 because God's got everything under control; it's under His Soverienty (That doesn't mean there won't be sickness and death during this time of trial; John 16:33 says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."). Instead of having fear about Covid-19, trust that God has everything in control, and cast your fears on Him.
For more on this topic, check out what John Piper has to say on Ask Pastor John here. What are some ideas you have to help others while places are shut down (babysitting, shopping for someone, etc.)? Share in the comments below!
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March 2023
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