Pandemic: A Christian's Confidence

Pandemic: A Christian’s Confidence
Rob Spinney

One aspect of maturing as a Christian involves learning more things. But to a large extent, maturing as a Christian involves more fully comprehending the basic biblical truths you already know. It involves actually feeling and reflexively thinking the biblical facts that you have already known. One example of this: God tells His people to think in ways that no one else thinks. God tells us to think in ways that seem to defy what everyone else calls “common sense.”

For example: The Apostle Paul said, “When I am weak then I am strong.” Jesus said that if I want to save my life, I must lose it. And if I lose my life for Jesus’ sake, then I will find it. The Bible tells us that the ones who will inherit the earth are the meek people, not the bold and self-assertive ones.

Likewise, the Bible instructs God’s people to realize that regardless of how difficult or dangerous or evenly deadly the things are around us, Christians are always involved in a vast cosmic conspiracy of divine kindness. God has conspired, planned, that every single thing that comes into our lives is something that benefits us — maybe it benefits us now, maybe it benefits us later, but all that happens to us is always good for us. After all, we know Romans 8:28 We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose—His plan—His cosmic conspiracy of kindness. We know that, right?

Something bad will only happen to Christ’s followers if and when God decides to let it happen -- and if God decides that something bad will happen to one of His children, well, it really isn’t all that bad after all. Because it will lead to something very good. Something that makes the distress worth it. So because God’s people are locked into this cosmic conspiracy of divine kindness, it really doesn’t make any sense for us to be afraid.

For those who love God, all things work together for good because God has a plan – a purpose – and He has called us so that we are included in that plan.

And if you find it hard to think like this—because after all, it goes against what everyone else thinks—God communicates this fact with more personal imagery, with a picture that perhaps we can more easily grasp. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I . . . will . . . fear . . . no . . . evil . . . because . . . You are with me.

God’s people should not live in fear. Not because we are healthy and have excellent medicine and smart doctors. God’s people should not live in fear because the Lord is their shepherd. He is with us, near to us, and He is not far away.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is your Shepherd, then you can say today, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord—forever.”

Amen.