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Covid-19: What's a Christian to do?

I've had a few Bible verses thrown at me in response to our choice to withdraw socially (as I posted yesterday). Are we lacking in faith? Are we panicking?



There are of course many passages in the Bible that tell us to trust in God, not be afraid and so on, but this one is a great example...

Psalm 91:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

So what about this Psalm?

Of course I take God's word seriously. And yet, it can be misused; notably, it is this very Psalm that the devil used to tempt Jesus in the desert - let's look at that exchange:

Matt.4.5-7:
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Trusting God

I absolutely do trust that God is my refuge. I believe I am safe in Him. But, I'll be honest, I don't believe he will keep every believer everywhere at all times free from disease, problems, persecution, or even death. Christians die from diseases every day. Christians are martyred for their faith every day. Jesus never promised we would have no issues in this world - instead, he promises to be with us, even to the end of the age. He has overcome the world, but we are still in it.

I trust that he is my safe place in the storm. In the storms of my life, which he has promised would come, I run to him and am safe. Even if my body dies, what can this world do to me? Nothing, because I am safe in him. That is the trust I have in God; I do not believe he'll shield me from every adversity. If that was my belief, it would be very easily shaken indeed - at the first cold I'd have to question God's goodness!

Instead, whether I come down with Coronavirus or not, whether it kills me or not, my faith does not depend on what happens to my body here. God is my ultimate refuge.

But what about others?

Living as we do in a world in which we and others can be harmed, how do we now live? As Ps. 91 says, A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. - so we just watch and let that happen? Is that God's heart for this world?

Do we exercise our freedom at all costs? We may not be at risk, but do we have any responsibility towards others?

As I see it, I am free, and I am not afraid; but I have the privilege and gift of good health and I am called to look out for the less fortunate. God's heart is always for the vulnerable, those left behind! And he calls us who are more fortunate to put them first. My choice to take a bit of inconvenience for the sake of others seems very much in line with God's heart.

Here are a few Scriptures that seem relevant to this -
  • Philippians 2.4:
    Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:24:
    Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbour.
  • And finally,
    1 Corinthians 13:
    If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ...

Love is the bottom line. God loves us, but he also calls us to love those around us. "Love your neighbour as you love yourself" - Jesus' second commandment. If I knowingly endanger my vulnerable neighbour's health, am I being loving? Am I acting in line with this great commandment?

"But I am in the right. The Government hasn't told us to do XYZ yet, so why should we?" - does love merely obey the letter of the law?

Am I willing to take a bit of inconvenience to potentially save the life of someone I don't even know?

 I am. That's why we are doing what we are doing. We aren't fearful, we aren't panicking. Peace.
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