A Christian’s Response to COVID-19
美佳之窗 His Window 90 （Apr - Jun 2020）
Text by Ps. Matthew Samuel Cho Qwang-Ming
The recent global pandemic named Covid-19 has caused the world to come to an abrupt halt. For many of us, year 2020 was supposed to be a year of great innovations, greater breakthroughs, and exciting new beginnings. However, it seems that in just a few months, we are all going back to the basics of living. Accompanying the Covid-19 pandemic are other bigger issues such as crumbling economies, unemployment, and social grievances.
In all these negativities, the one question that many believers are asking is: God, why? We want to know the answers, we want know the solutions.
In a time where church has been shutdown, and we are scrambling to live with the new normal for a little while longer, believers are starting to feel impatient at God’s seemingly “silence” to the pandemic that has turned the world upside down.
Some, have decided to speak up for God, to try to give prophecies on when the pandemic will end and what are the signs we should look out for, while others havedecided to throw blame on the human race who have “sinned.” Some even have taken the opportunity to lash out at the “mega churches” who have used “accessories of the gospel” too liberally in better times.
In all these conflicting and sometimes dividing messages, if we as Christians do not seek God’s will and respond in a manner that is scriptural and theological, we may be at risk of coming out of the pandemic, more divided than ever. So, how should believers and the church respond during these times of unprecedented crisis?
1. Seek God, His Kingdom, His Righteousness (Matt. 6:33)
To seek first the kingdom of God, is to seek to understand God and his will in all things. In this time of pandemic, our two questions are: why and when?However, in seeking the kingdom of God, sometimes the answer for these two questions may not be given to us. If so, will we still continue to seek after the kingdom of God? A believer must understand that to seek after the kingdom of God is not trying to “force” an answer from God or even to place him within our own timeline of when things should happen.
To seek the kingdom of God is to understand God’s will and purpose, it is to understand that in everything God has his timing and his timing is always perfect. We always like to think we know better than God, and this mindset keeps us from truly seeking God’s kingdom. Instead, we end up pursuing our own desires and when our unmet desires grow, anxiety and worry increases. When we can seek God’s kingdom, and begin to surrender the answers and our timeline into God’s hands, we will begin to have peace and an assurance in the “silence of God.” When we can seek God’s kingdom, we will begin to see things not through the lens of our human eyes, but through the lens of God’s eyes and sovereignty. Following the command to seek first the kingdom of God is the secondary command to “seek his righteousness.” What is righteousness? In simpler terms, righteousness is to “do what is right.” Righteousness entails, obedience to God’s commands. In such times, we need to seek God’s righteousness all the more. What are some things God is asking to do as believers now? Is it to lend a helping hand to our communities? Is it to pray for someone? Is it to obey the instructions and orders of the government to stay at home? Is it to work on our spiritual life, in the excess of time that we have now at home? Seeking the kingdom of God, comes with a follow up action of “doing what God wants me to do.” During this pandemic, have we been seeking God’s righteousness?
2. Wait in Anticipation (1 Peter 4:13)
1 Peter 4:13 teaches us how to respond to the “fiery trial” that we are all going through now. He says “rejoice” and to wait for the day Christ’s “glory is revealed.” Rejoice? What is there to rejoice? That may be the question or cynicism of someone who does not know the sovereignty of God in this world. But, as believers, we can rejoice because we know that God is at work behind the scenes. And for that reason, we can rejoice, and wait in anticipation for the day that Christ’s glory is revealed to us.
As believers the waiting sometimes can be frustrating and frightening. However, like the disciples of Jesus who waited three long days before Jesus appeared to them, the night always feels the darkest when the dawn is coming. We must understand that the disciples of Jesus were uncertain if Jesus was really going to rise again or was he gone for good. They waited in fear and restlessness because they were living the story we are reading now. However, we can wait in anticipation, because we already know the outcome - Jesus rose on the third day! As we wait, its time to focus on the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. It is time to fix our eyes on the promises of God in His word and to have faith that when the time comes, God will bring healing and restoration to this world. The worse response for a believer during this pandemic is to give up hope and to give in to fear and despair. It can lead to devastating results for the church, and even falling away from the faith. This is why it is important to learn from 1 Peter 4:13 to rejoice because we know what is going to happen. Our God will never fail us, he will never neglect His children, help is on the way.
3. Walk in Love, Serve in Unity (1 John 4:7)
In the waiting, we rejoice, and we also need to act. And right now, is the best time for us to begin to put love into action. In these times, the church can live out its brightest testimony if we can walk in love. The epistle of 1 John, as cliche as it may sound, is something we need to practice - love one another.
There are a few ways we can show love and the first way is through speech. To speak love does not mean we preach love, but it means that we speak words of love and encouragement to people around us. Now is not the time for messages of “doom and gloom.” It is certainly not the time to point out the sins of the world or the church, to do so is albeit to pouring salt over an open wound. While speaking and pointing out sin is biblical, we must be careful on the timing. Preaching such messages during these times will only cause others to view God as a “punisher.” It may even cause people to back away from such a “god.” We want to present the love of God that embraces and comforts in such times and we can only do so, if we can empathise with the suffering, encourage the broken hearted, and comfort those who mourn.
Next, we can love through action. Loving through action is to do as Jesus did - to sit with the sinners, to heal the sick, and show mercy to the weak. In such times, we need to ask God, “What can I do?” I am sure, God will lead us to people who need our acts of love. He will inspire us on how we can show love to the world in such times. A word of caution: sometimes loving in action requires sacrifice too. Jesus in John 15:13 says that, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The principle we draw from this verse is - sacrifice. Love requires a certain level of sacrifice. Doctors, nurses, police, armed forces, and workers in the essential services have shown us for the past two months the term “sacrificial labour.” As believers, are we willing to sacrifice for others? Maybe in these times, it is time for us to help those affected financially by the pandemic. For employers, maybe we need to think of the livelihood of employees who need the monthly salary in order to put food on the table. Indeed, these are decisions that are hard to make, but, if we can choose to act sacrificially in such times, I believe God will honour and reward our sacrificial love that we have shown to those who are suffering.
Finally, to love is to also serve in unity. Jesus, in his teachings of loving one another was encouraging his disciples to serve in unity. Today, as a church, sometimes we are too divided over trivial doctrinal issues. In this time of global pandemic, the church needs to unite and come together as one. It is a time for us to put aside differences and begin to live out kingdom values. When the church can love and serve in unity, we can come out of this pandemic stronger and more united than ever.
Conclusion
So, is it all hopeless and doom and gloom? We may not have all the answers, but, if we can continue to trust, we will be able to see God in the midst of the pandemic. When we can give up our desire to control the outcome, our hearts will be at peace in the storm. When we can live out the love of God, we can be the salt and light in a broken world.