I can’t explain it but I intuitively sense the coronavirus or Covid 19 is not really about the pandemic that has struck fear in the hearts of people around the globe. I am not saying what we are experiencing is not serious or killing people. Nor am I suggesting that the precautions we have been told to take are misguided. Connie and I know how it feels to be virtually captive in our own home just like everyone else. One exception is we didn’t stock up or hoard toilet paper. What I am saying is there is something far more to what is going on than what it appears on the surface.
The story in 2 Kings 6 casts a pale semblance of what I’m sensing. Elisha, the man of God, had incurred the anger of the king of Syria so he sent his army to kill Elisha. When Elisha’s servant got up one morning to see what the new day was like, he noticed the Syrian army had surrounded the city where they had been staying. He rushes back to Elisha with panicked eyes dilated wide from fear and with tenseness in his voice he cried, “Oh, master! What shall we do?” Does that sound faintly familiar?
Elisha, knowing and trusting God as he did, wasn’t bothered because he knew God had it all under control. Elisha asked God to open the servant’s eyes to see the bigger picture of what was going on. It did not change the physical circumstances, but God did resolve the matter by blinding the eyes of the military leaders. Elisha then lead the army to the Israeli army which humiliated them and then sent them back to Syria.
The reality is God has this pandemic under control and in fact has a good purpose for it. However, like the servant most cannot see the bigger picture without a revelation from the Spirit of God. Because our default thinking is to look only at the physical, we can’t see what He is doing. I see this as a golden opportunity—a spiritual challenge to reset our relationship with God so we will be able to also see life as God does. Each person who truly desires to see life through God’s eyes can do so by following these words of guidance the Spirit inspired Paul to write. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2, NLT2).
God created us, plus sent His Son to endure all He did just to bring us back into a relationship designed for intimate communication. Unfortunately, we allow ourselves to be so obsessed with the world around us that we conform to our culture more than to God’s culture. This minimizes the potential communication and leaves us living nearly as blind as our culture is to what God is saying and doing. We live life far beneath our God-given provisions. By taking the initiative to humble ourselves by acknowledging our misguided choices, then turn to hungerly seek His rule and reign over our daily life decisions, He will slowly transform our minds and thereby enable us to walk through our pandemic as calmly as Elisha endured temporary assault of the Syrian army.
It’s true, it is a lot easier to write or say than to stoop low enough to lay down our independent, self-willed thinking. On the other hand, while I certainly am not yet fully mature so haven’t achieved His full stature, I can say the sweetness of His peace in the midst of this pandemic assault on humanity is worth more than popularity, wealth, or independence can offer. I am learning there are far more benefits to following Christ than just knowing and practicing religious rituals. Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8, NLT2)
Well said! Thank you!
This is so true! It’s like a dress-rehearsal to prepare us for Jesus’ return. Is my life on the right track? Do I have a singular focus on the Lord? Certainly this pandemic has offered many opportunities to immerse ourselves in fearful thinking, or on speculations ad nauseum. What a great opportunity to prepare to give an answer for the peace we have!