A Biblical Idea that Brings Joy

God has special purposes for all of us, even during difficult times. This 1-minute devotion explains why we should be excited.

Covid-19, like other challenges in life, has brought out the worst and the best in people. 

Lately I’ve been pondering what God wants to teach me during Covid, and I've actually gotten excited!

We serve a Romans 8:28 God, so we can be assured that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  

God wants to show us creative ways to deal with our limitations. In the midst of the Covid crisis, there are things “God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

Let's use Covid as a motivation instead of an excuse, asking God to help us find new and better ways to manage our lives. Let's get excited about what He's going to teach us and how He's going to use us during this difficult time in history.(1)  

If we stop complaining and start looking for God's purposes, we'll be surprised at how much joy it brings!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

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God has special purposes for all of us, even during difficult times. This 1-minute devotion explains why we should be excited.

(1) There are some great Romans 8:28 results for churches: 

Most churches started or improved online services and Bible studies. These resources, which didn't previously exist in many churches, will continue after Covid to serve shut-ins and others who can't attend church. 

 Covid has many people thinking about spiritual things, and some who'd never attend a church are listening to online church services.

 Some larger churches have organized into smaller "house churches" where people are becoming more involved in each other's lives. 

 Some pastors are using emails, texts, and phone calls to stay in much closer contact with church members than they did before Covid. 

 Some Christians are using their extra time at home to do more Bible study and prayer than before Covid.

 It's unlikely that any of us will take fellowship and human touch for granted in the future.

Some misunderstandings that hurt our gospel witness during Covid:

1. Civil disobedience

Some Christians are claiming that we should disobey restrictions on church services, and they've used Acts 4:1-26 as a proof text. This passage in Acts explains a situation when Peter and John were arrested for preaching the gospel. The Jewish leaders commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.'” 

Covid rules are temporary and based on safety, not freedom of speech. In some areas, churches have been unfairly restricted more than other businesses and gatherings. This isn't right, but churches have not been singled out. All areas of life have been affected: businesses, sports activities, schools, healthcare facilities, etc. 

There are so many unknowns about Covid. Are churches in a position to decide which restrictions are necessary and which are not? Should churches refuse to obey laws that limit their gatherings? Is that what Acts 4 commands?

Scripture doesn't command us to meet inside or in large groups, nor does it prohibit us from wearing masks, practicing social distancing, or meeting outside. Casinos, bars, and rioters may not be concerned about the health and safety of others, but Christians are called to a higher standard (Philippians 2:1-5).

There are no laws, temporary or permanent, that prevent churches in the U.S. from speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus. Covid rules allow Christians to meet and share God's Word in outside areas or in smaller inside groups (Hebrews 10:25). Christians can still share the gospel in print, online, in podcasts, on YouTube, blogs, magazines, etc. As I explained above, the gospel is being shared in new ways because of Covid.

Perhaps we will face a time in our future where the preaching of the gospel is prohibited or Christians are commanded to do things against God's commands. If that happens we must disobey. But disobeying laws simply because we don't agree with them is not justified by this or any other Scripture, and it hurts our witness. 

When Paul wrote Romans 13:1-6, the existing governments were corrupt, so we cannot excuse disobedience based on our dislike for government policies unless they directly violate biblical commands.

I encourage you to read my personal experience with unfair laws when I visited communist Czechoslovakia: God Wins All Wrestling Matches.

2. Fake news

We must also be careful not to pass along fake news. I recently heard a pastor explain that there was no pandemic because only 6% of the Covid deaths were actually due to Covid. But that was a complete misunderstanding of the statistics. The CDC stats showed that 6% of Covid deaths happened to healthy people. The other 94% happened to people with underlying conditions such as heart disease and diabetics. Their health problems contributed to their death, but they would not have died at this time had they not contracted Covid. Using the logic of this pastor, we could look at deaths from a fire and claim that anyone with asthma didn't really die from smoke inhalation. In addition, Covid can leave survivors with long-term health problems, so death is not the only reason to practice safety measures. 

There are many unknowns. Should Christians err on the side of safety and concern for our neighbor's health or on the side of risk-taking?

To believe that the Covid crisis is a fake pandemic, we must believe that every major country in the world, communist and free, united in this conspiracy.

Christians must be careful not to pass along partial truths, even if they do so unintentionally. See Fake News and Good News and Fake News and Proverbs.

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God has special purposes for all of us, even during difficult times. This 1-minute devotion explains why we should be excited.




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