The restlessness of those who see the experts as enemies, and safety guidelines as restricting and unnecessary, is inspiring a strange boldness. Further, they seem to be sure that God cosigns their rebellion. They “protest” but it looks more like a tantrum. They defy social distancing while screaming provocative words, but they're dressed in protective gear, rendering their actions silly and hypocritical. Signs reading, "Live free or die" are troubling.
There’s a lot of work to be done if people just want to exercise their right to be out and about. Calls for volunteers are made daily.
Some wonder why liquor stores are deemed essential but churches aren't (as if they've ever just run into church for a few minutes to pick up beer and chips). Lately many are afraid the church has lost it's place of respect and power because its gathering places are closed. It so offends some people that they’re furious; their emotions are blinding them to the fact that at least some of their elected leaders are trying to keep them alive.
Some are endeavoring to keep things going via virtual means, but it's simply not the same. Those who haven’t kept up with technological trends are broadcasting embarrassing spectacles. Those who heavily depended on the entertainment aspect of their ministry are, too.
Many are questioning everything they've ever learned in Sunday school.
Covid-19 seems to be winning, and too many contact-less funerals are being held for deceased pillars of Christianity.
If the virus is taking out the prophets, apostles, and bishops, what chance is there for the congregation?
At funerals, we regularly hear the flowery, consoling words of eulogists that are, although unintentionally so, contrary to what the Bible says. Jesus asked, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?" These are days when everyone—from the leader, to the usher, to the choir member, to the lay person in the pew—should endeavor to be clear about what they believe, read, and know.
The days of fashion and floor shows, catchy, rhyming slogans and ear-tickling cliches are over.
How often have we heard, "Absent from the body, present with the Lord"? That sounds wonderfully reassuring, but the Bible doesn't exactly say that. Paul specifically wrote, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body, and at home with the Lord."
Another translation reads, "Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord."
Obviously, where a person would rather be, is not necessarily where he or she is, but we hear things said in church, and never take the time to fact check or clarify. People die and we just usher them into Heaven based on what we knew of them and their character. We assume they had a relationship with God, and were covered.
We've reveled in being "covered by the blood", and attribute it to everything from safe travels, passed tests, victories in court, to surviving accidents.
Armed with knowledge of our protected status, we may feel invincible, powerful, and indestructible; unaffected by, or exempt from tragedy and danger all around us. We dismiss wisdom and common sense, boast and repeat what we learned in church, and find ourselves bewildered when our pronouncements fall flat, and our prayers don't work.
We scratch our heads when our actions invite and yield logical, predictable consequences, and our decrees, declarations, churchy theatrics, and bombardment of Heaven produce no favorable or immediate results.
Perhaps in a time when assurance of safety is needed, we should know where we stand mentally, physically and spiritually.
If ever people of faith want and hope to be covered, it's now.
The masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, soap, wipes, and disinfectant sprays are flying off the shelves. According to the labels, our bodies and non-porous surfaces are covered, but what about the soul? Moreover, what happens to the faith of someone, who has adhered to church tradition and doctrine all of their lives, when none of the usual, go-to scriptures seem to help?
Daily scrolling social media and reading about the sickness and deaths of religious leaders can be too much. These were the people known for teaching and preaching concepts of seeming invincibility that should be extremely applicable in the face of a global pandemic, yet in spite of their fiery sermons and prayers, speaking in tongues, dancing, and shouting, they are succumbing, too.
Many are becoming discouraged because they were more in tune with denominational tenets, practices, and churchspeak than the Bible.
This is a sober time.
According to the Bible, death, a natural consequence of the fragile human condition, does not discriminate, and is sure-- for some that is, if you believe in the resurrection and second coming of Christ. Death visits the good and the evil; the young and the old, the healthy and the compromised, the executive and the blue collar worker.
The Bible reads:
"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live." Ezekiel 33:11
"Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away." Psalm 90:10
"Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Hebrews 9:27-28
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14
“Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we will all be changed in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:51
But you're "covered", you say. Isn’t that what the preacher said?
It doesn't mean you shouldn’t take the novel Coronavirus seriously.
Being covered doesn’t mean you're walking around with an invisible force field that renders you immune. It doesn’t mean you’re drenched in impenetrable, protective plasma that repels bad guys and nasty viruses.
Jesus himself said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
As much as we pretend or would like to think we don't have problems like everyone else, they're simply a part of life. It's how we respond that makes a difference. This is not the time to lean on our own understanding.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Experience and expertise shouldn't be ignored.
You're human, and viruses kill. This is not the time to be arrogant, careless, or foolish. Just rest assured, it wasn't your doing, and it wasn’t done to turn you into an idiot or a zealot, but God has provided a covering. Perhaps, you’re not covered in the magical, spooky ways that have convinced some to foolishly disregard the severity of this pandemic, but you are covered in the following ways:
1. You are protected from judgment. That demands active obedience. Go inside!
"...And when your children say to you, “What does this rite mean to you?”, you shall say, ”It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.” And the people bowed low and worshiped." ~Exodus 12:26-27
2. Public reparations have been made on your behalf. Don’t reject the gesture by being stupid.
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” ~Leviticus 17:11
3. Your deserved punishment has been waived, and you are at peace with God. You don’t have to run toward danger to test it.
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” ~Isaiah 53:5
4. You can partake in the Communion sacrament as often as you like.
“Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” ~Luke 22:20
5. You are spared from the wrath of God, and are justified. He did it for his glory, not yours.
“...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed…” ~Romans 3:24-25
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. “ ~Romans 5:9
6. Your sin debt is paid in full. Stop thinking you have to chip in by engaging in religious busyness, particularly when you could be resting. Just say “thank you”.
“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” ~Hebrews 9:28
7. You are forgiven, have gained favor, and are no longer in the hands of the enemy. Again, say “thank you” and go sit down somewhere.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” ~Ephesians 1:7
8. You are being spiritually healed.
“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” ~1 Peter 2:24
9. You are spiritually living.
“Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” ~John 6:53
10. You are cleansed from unrighteousness--His doing. Not yours.
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” ~1 John 1:7
11. You are not a stranger who is outside of God’s covenant.
“…that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” ~Ephesians 2:12-13
12. You are a citizen of God’s kingdom.
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” ~Colossians 2:15
13. You have been declared righteous. Again— HISdoing.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” ~2 Corinthians 5:21
14. You can draw near to God without reservation— from wherever you are.
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” ~Ephesians 2:13
15. You are forever redeemed.
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19
16. You are free. Unburden yourself from religious busyness and oppressive false doctrine.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” ~Galatians 5:1
“...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” ~Hebrews 10:22
17. You are no longer condemned. Be kinder to yourself.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” ~Romans 8:1
18. You have been sanctified and declared holy untoGod--His standards. Not yours.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” ~Galatians 2:20
19. You can enter boldly into the Holy of Holies and survive. PRAY FOR YOURSELF! No public platform, flowery words or embellishments required.
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” ~Hebrews 10:19-22
20. You have revelation of God’s identity. It’s no accident that you believe. Don’t muck it up with religiosity.
“...who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of theMajesty on high…” ~Hebrews 1:3
21. You have power to overcome the enemy, but not by your own status, title, or might.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.” ~Revelation 12:11
22. You have Jesus himself as an advocate. All glory belongs to him.
“…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, work and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” ~Revelation 1:5
I hope you are and will remain encouraged, although this time is challenging. Stay at home if possible. Flatten the curve. Rest. Take this time to regroup. Read. Study. Listen. Be grateful. Show kindness. Preserve your peace. Pay attention to those who are wise. Tomorrow is not promised, so make each day meaningful.
You're covered.
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