Those of you who live in the state of Victoria are now well and truly aware that greater Melbourne must endure another six-weeks of lockdown due to the sudden spike in coronavirus infections. It is easy to point the finger at what has been done wrong that allowed this spike to occur, and no doubt the government will be held partly responsible and perhaps for good reason. Whatever the case, rightly or wrongly, people are again nervous about mixing in public, and many will feel the ‘pinch’ financially as they are again stood down from work or as businesses struggle to remain viable. But this doesn’t just have a financial impact, it also has an emotional and mental health impact as people again deal with isolation.
A good question to ask oneself during these times is how should we respond as Christians? It is wise to respond carefully for this virus knows no human boundaries. Whether you are rich or poor, black, or white, or somewhere in between, no one is exempt from catching this virus. So be wise and listen to those who have some knowledge about how this virus can spread, maintaining the social distances that are being recommended by health authorities.
We should also be wise in the way we care for the elderly and more vulnerable people in our community as well as in our local fellowship. So, let us not put them in harms way unnecessarily. The reality is that most people who have succumb to this virus are the elderly and those with under lying health issues, although there have been deaths of younger people too.
We should also be mindful of those who find this extremely distressing and be very respectful of their struggles, whether it be financial, emotional, or just coping with this isolation. So as Christians, let us show grace and love and be respectful of other opinions, however strange or weird they might sound to us.
One response that we need to avoid as Christians is living as people who have no loving Father protecting and caring for them. In other words, we should not be living ‘in fear’ as though this virus, humanly speaking, may be the end of us, as it seems so many people are doing. We see that many people are panic buying again at local supermarkets and most of this is driven by fear!
The Scriptures remind us, that even though we may need to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we do not need to fear evil, for our loving Father in heaven is with us (Psa 23). Psalm 46 reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way or if you will, Covid-19 is close by (emphasis added).
The antidote to living in fear is to do what Psalm 46 reminds us. Knowing that verse one is true, let us take much more time to be still and remember who our loving God is (v10)! That does not mean we should take a cavalier attitude and think, “We can do what we like for God will look after us anyhow,” for that would show a lack of biblical understanding. Scripture warns against such an attitude (Mat 4:7 cf Exo 17).
However, what it does mean is that we are not on our own as we deal with the fallout. Our loving God watches over us, cares for us, provides for is in many wonderful ways and if you doubt that, then perhaps you need to remind yourself what He has already done for us in Christ.
In the meantime, let us reach out to people who are living in fear, and if the opportunity presents itself, speak to them about our loving Father in heaven and the wonderful Saviour we have in His Son. He may not keep us free from the virus, but He has promised to keep us for an eternity and that gives us wonderful peace and assurance. Blessings. JZ.