Don't waste this virus

In these uncertain days of a worldwide pandemic, Christians are faced with unique circumstances that, I believe, might just be an opportunity given from the gracious hand of God to awaken the hearts of His people. These days seem to bring a new level of loss of control to a world that already is out of control. Politicians and world leaders are scrambling to contain what many are saying is uncontainable. Our normal routines suddenly have come to a grinding halt. Our normal lives that are so very busy, now find themselves with copious amounts of hours in a home with the people we call family. It’s as if we went to bed in one reality and woke in another that has us scratching our heads and asking, “How can this really be real?? How can we, in this day and age of modern medical science, be in this situation?” These are the questions that have the world trembling ..that have even the strongest believer feeling a little shaky themselves. What is God doing? What should I do?

I would like to offer that during this time in world history..during this unique time of your life..I would like to suggest that you not waste this virus.

John Piper..years ago when he received a cancer diagnosis, wrote an article entitled, “Don’t waste your Cancer” He took a step back and looked at what this diagnosis meant and what he hoped it would produce in His own heart. I would like to suggest that we do the same in this time of uncertainty and fear. We believers have been given more in this time of uncertainty than I think we realize.

Ask a normal western society believer three months ago how their walk with the Lord was and more often than not you would hear the “busy” theme. “Life is so busy..kids are in so many things that it has me running all of the time..work is so busy that I feel like I never see my family and forget about quality time in the word..I know God understands that this is just the season of my life.” Now? Now with the world coming to a screeching halt...these things can no longer be said. In fact, the memes are endless with parents talking about the craziness of having their children in the home with them 24/7...of life in isolation. The country that was so very busy is suddenly not only worried and nervous but is in fact...bored.

It is here that the opportunity presents itself in a special way to believers that if we don’t see it, we will miss it. Don’t waste these days, brothers and sisters. Don’t waste this virus

You will waste this virus if

1. You look to the Medical professionals to save you.

We’ve come so comfortable with a society that, for the most part, has a cure for every sickness...and if there isn’t a cure then managing it for the long haul becomes the reality. Yes there are people still dying of cancer but not as many as before. So many, through new medicines, are extending their life expectancies at higher rates. We just are blown away that a cold could take over the body and kill it and there not be a cure..how can this be? So we grow fearful as we look at our little ones and worry about their immunity..as we look at our elderly parents who aren’t in the best of health anyways..we grow fearful that this thing might just touch someone I love and we look to the medical professionals as the salvation. But our hope doesn’t lie in medicines and the men and women who care medically for humanity..our hope lies in the one who watches over creation..the One “Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it” He gives us our breath every day. This should comfort our hearts as we remember that nothing happens in my body without His control. But more importantly my life, my health, the health of my family are His to do with what He desires. My health rests solely in His hand even when there isn’t a worldwide pandemic.

2. You waste this virus if you look to the Government to control the outbreak.

World leaders and politicians are scrambling to give hourly updates as to how they are responding to the spread of the virus. They are shutting down sporting events, restaurants, gatherings of any great number, and asking people to stay in their homes. They are contemplating giving people money for the losses they are accruing by being out of work and the masses are even crying for more. “Who is going to take care of us? That’s why we elected you..to watch over us physically and financially.” We must remember that it is God who places the men and women in authority over us. Even in a “man made” government, we cannot get away from the sovereign hand of God who is higher than the rulers of this world. Instead of looking to them for protection and financial security, we must refocus our eyes on the One who gave us all that we have financially and socially. Our protection doesn’t ultimately lie in the hands of rulers but in the God of the universe that we are intimately acquainted with. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” Ps 20:7 Our strength isn’t in the might of our nation but the might of our God.

3. You waste this virus if you look to your own survival skills to keep your family fed, provided for, and safe.

George Whitfield once said, “We are immortal until our work on earth is done.” Matthew 6:31 speaks to a people that were hungry and dependent on their work for that day to give them just enough to survive “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Our hope lies not in our ability to provide and care for ourselves and our loved ones. In fact, it never has. We work each day with the body and strength that God has graciously given us. Give Him glory today by once again placing your trust that He will not let his children starve and go without the things they need and trust that He will provide what you need in the day you need it.

4. You waste this virus if you spend your time looking at all the news feeds and stock markets.

The amount of information coming across the news desks is deafening and, at this time, disheartening. To fill your mind with the hours and hours of reporting..hours and hours of a force that no longer reports news for the sake of information but to profit from a constant viewership, is to fill a mind that has no room for meditating on the truth.

“A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.”Proverbs 28:25

We must protect our minds in these days and remember that even Satan himself is trying to pull believers away from their confidence in God. We must be diligent to limit the intake of man’s idol talk that yields not results. We must look to the word as our source of information during these days.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

5. You waste this virus if you don’t take the minutes and the hours you’ve now been freely given to pour into the word that you say you love so much but find so little time to give it.

-Do a study on the character and nature of God..in the Old and New Testaments

-Write out all the verses that spell out the gospel story.

-Write out the sins that so easily entangle you and go and find verses that speak against those sins and memorize them.

-Write out a list of verses for your loved ones that remind them that God is in control of all things and that if they don’t know Him then today is the day of salvation. Today, when they feel the whole world unsteady. This is your opportunity to lead them to the Rock that is higher and more sure and steady than I. Take this opportunity to show that Christ is your assurance and that no matter what the world brings, I have hope in the One who saved my soul from eternal death and hell.

- Take this time to grow in wisdom and knowledge of the word. If you seek, He will show you until your cup overflows.

This virus pulls back the curtain and shows us that this life we are living now, in its wake..this life detached from the world and it’s busyness is actually more like the life of a believer than we thought. These days should bring a greater clarity to how we should live each day. Look at your own apathy towards the things of God when times are good. Look at what daily distracts you that you are now living without. Look at the reality that your lack of time in the Word isn’t because of all of life’s responsibilities but might just be an indication of a lazy heart.

Don’t go looking for some other savior to save you during these days but look once again at 1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Use these days to prepare your minds for action by being in the word. Keep sober as you look to Christ and not this world to keep you through these days and keep fixing your minds on the hope that is eternally ours ...eternity with Christ.

Then go and to those you FaceTime with..to those you talk with on the phone or in the grocery store..let your light so shine. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Glorify God by your confidence in His care and control and show the good works as you tenderly love and share the comfort you’ve been given to those who are desperate.

Today is the day..put away your sin and use these days to come back to the Lord who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Don’t waste this virus.