Christians are no stranger
to contagion. A quick study of church history shows that men of women of faith
have been steadfast when disease has spread fear and death.
The early church was faced
with a serious plague that devastated the Roman Empire between 165 and 180 AD,
and another about one hundred years later. It is estimated that during its fifteen-year
duration the first plague decimated one-fourth of the population of the entire
Empire. The deadly plague was no respecter of persons, as it even claimed the
life of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Early Christians were wiped out right
alongside the pagans.
Yet in the midst of this
epidemic, Christians were the only ones who cared for the sick, which they did
at the risk of contracting the plague themselves. It was common for the pagans
to throw infected members of their own families into the streets, even before
they died, in order to protect themselves from the disease. As the sick lay
dying in the streets, caring Christians would come along, pick them up, and
tend to them in their final hours.
Eusebius, “The Father of Church
History,” wrote how these early Christians lived for Christ during this
epidemic, “The heathen pushed away those with the first signs of the disease
and fled from their dearest. But most of our brethren showed love and loyalty
in not sparing themselves while helping one another. The Christians tended to
the sick with no thought of danger, and gladly departed this life after
becoming infected with the disease.”[1]
The reason why our
forefathers in the faith acted with grit and grace is because they found Christ
in the crisis. The voices of the past still speak to the church today. In
uncertain times like these we need the same resolve to choose worship over
worry, prayer over panic and faith over fear.
These are unprecedented times
for all of us. I have never lived through a global pandemic before, and so many
of us just don’t know what to do. With that being said, many of us facing the
Coronavirus crisis may be wondering, “What now?” I submit the following list to
you of practical ways we can live for Christ during these perilous times.
1)
Control Your Mind
“For God has not given
us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7).”
It’s natural in a time of uncertainty
and fear to let our minds go haywire. If you are prone to anxiety, then your
mind naturally gravitates towards the worst possible scenario. We must resist
the downhill slide into pessimism by filling our minds with the Word of God and
“bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor.
10:5). The Scriptures are filled with stories of hope where God rescued His
people in their desperate hour. Take the extra downtime to commit your mind to rigorous
Bible study rather than binging on Netflix or media.
2)
Count Your Blessings
“In everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 5:18)”
This is the perfect time
to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and be grateful for all that He’s
done. How many times has God put food on your table? How many times has he
healed your body? How many times has God answered your prayers? If God has been
faithful in the past, then He will continue to be faithful in the future. If we
can trust God with our eternal souls, then surely we can trust that He will get
us through this present trial.
Max Lucado has wrote, “The
grateful heart is like a magnet sweeping over the day, collecting reasons for
gratitude. A zillion diamonds sparkle against the velvet of your sky every
night. Thank you, God. A miracle of muscles enables your eyes to read these
words and your brain to process them. Thank you, God. Your lungs inhale and
exhale eleven thousand liters of air every day. Your heart will beat about
three billion times in your lifetime. Your brain is a veritable electric
generator of power. Thank you, God. For the jam on our toast and the milk
on our cereal. For the blanket that calms us and the joke that delights us and
the warm sun that reminds us of God’s love. For the thousands of planes that
did not crash today. Thank you, God.”[2]
3)
Claim Your Peace
“Peace I leave with
you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)”
Pastor Roy Zuck told an
amazing story that took place during World War II’s blitz bombing of London. Many
people were forced to stay each night in underground bunkers. But one Christian
lady just stayed at home and slept through the chaos. One morning she arose to
find her street devastated by impact craters and crumbling buildings, yet her
house was unscathed. When a reporter asked about what she thought the lady said,
“Well my God neither sleeps, nor slumbers, and there’s no need for both of us
to stay awake!”[3]
Peace is not the absence
of problems, but the presence of Jesus. If He doesn’t calm the storm, He can calm
the storm in us. I discovered a while back that the three keys to real peace
are: fret not, faint not, fear not. Fret not—because God loves you (1 John
4:16). Faint not—because God holds you (Ps. 139:10). Fear not—because God keeps
you (Ps. 121:5).
4)
Concentrate on
Prayer
“The effective, fervent
prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)”
While the world may be
shutting down, the good news is that heaven is still open and the prayer line
to God is available. Jason Seville, a pastor in China wrote:
“Perhaps you feel
powerless against a virus to which you can be exposed even when there are no
visible symptoms. Maybe your anxiety rises as specialists still aren’t sure all
the ways this virus can be transmitted. You might feel discouraged as you watch
the infection and death tolls rise. If so, then declare that you are helpless,
but your hope is fixed on God Almighty.”[4]
This is the posture of the
Christian. Appeal to God’s character, confess your inability, and put your eyes
on the Lord. We should all unite in prayer for our nation, our leaders, our
churches, our friends and family. Let’s pray that God will use the virus to awaken
people to their need for the Gospel. Let’s pray for the healing of those who
are infected by the disease. Let’s pray for our doctors, nurses and health care
workers on the front lines of the battle against the virus.
After all, it takes the
same amount of energy to worry as it does to pray—one leads to panic, the other
leads to peace.
5)
Continue in Your
Calling
“Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Cor. 15:58)”
Even though these are unusual
circumstances, it’s also a tremendous opportunity to let our light shine for
Jesus. Yes, we are all adopting different patterns of life, but these changes will
open up other possibilities to minister to others. Perhaps, you can take up a
card writing campaign to encourage others in the church. Don’t stop being charitable
to those in need. A kind gesture can show someone the love of God. Keep giving to
your local church, because you want the lights on and the water running when we
return to regular meetings. The extra time at home is a great chance to connect
with lost neighbors. Invite them over for a Bible study and soup. The possibilities
are manifold. Ask the Lord to give you open doors and new ideas to live for
Christ in the crisis.
-DM
[1]
David Jeremiah, Morning and Evening Devotions, (Nashville, TN: Thomas
Nelson, 2011), 704.
[2] Max
Lucado, “An Attitude of Gratitude,” 8 October 2013
<http://www.faithgateway.com/attitudegratitude/#
.VkIN5PmrSM8>
[3]
Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker’s Quotebook, (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2009), 377.
[4] Jason
Seville, “King Jehoshaphat and the Coronavirus,” The Gospel Coalition, 6
February 2020
<https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jehoshaphat-and-coronavirus/>
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