Virtually everyone has heard about the coronavirus pandemic. So far, most people have lived with a sense of relative safety – warm water in a faucet, full shelves in grocery stores, medicine at drug stores – they just could do with a bit more cash. However, the horrifying scenes taking place in communist China, where corpses can be seen lying in the streets, as well as empty store shelves and cities surrounded by the military in Italy, have destroyed this blissful view.
Suddenly, it turns out that contemporary prosperity may end at a moment’s notice and give place to fear, struggle for survival, a threat of infection and death.
At this point, it is worth asking a basic question. Is my sense of security based on a solid foundation? After all, previously – before the coronavirus pandemic – at any instant, you could have a heart attack, be diagnosed with cancer, or hit by a car. Only the probability of such events has been lower than in the case of getting sick during the pandemic.
No one among us knows whether we will contract the SARS-CoV-2 and if we will survive. But nobody doubts that sooner or later our lives will come to an end and we will die. And then what?
In this situation, we are faced with a great opportunity to seriously think about God. People in Biblical times lived in a world in which they were exposed to many more dangers than a contemporary man. Yet, even while facing extreme danger they would say:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil…” Psalm 23
Do you know why the author of this Psalm, King David, was not afraid of evil or the danger that surrounded him?
Let us read this verse of the Bible in its entirety: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME.”
It is the caring protection of the Almighty God that gave people such a strong sense of security. Would you like to have it, too, and be free from anxiety and fear?
In biblical times people knew that even death was not the worst tragedy and that it did not mean the end of life:
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
Why then were the people of the Bible not anxious about their future here on earth and after death? The answer is simple. They received promises from God and trusted them! The Apostle Paul shares this secret in just a few words:
“… I know whom I have believed.” 2 Timothy 1:12
In whom do you trust? Yourself? A priest? An insurance policy? Public health services or the government? Even a brief analysis of each of these objects of trust, will find them too weak or too untrustworthy to give you a true sense of security. This is the very reason why you are constantly in fear. Simply, you are very well aware that all your means of protection and sources of reliance are worthless. Time for a change!
Jesus presents Himself as the best protector and guardian (“I am the good shepherd.” John 10:14).
He also provides evidence that He cares about you and has power to solve all your problems (“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8).
If you were personally to face God’s judgment, the only just verdict for you would be: ETERNAL DEATH, that is, separation from God forever. Hell.
This is why Jesus, who lived a sinless life and could have gone back to heaven unhindered, decided to die in your place to pay once and for all, the penalty that you deserve.
But this is not the end of the story. On the third day Jesus manifested His power over death and resurrected. Now He is asking you to trust Him:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20
If you let Jesus into your life He will rescue you from hell. His blood shed for you on the Cross on Golgotha will shield you from the wrath of God the Father on the judgment day. By entering into your life Jesus also becomes your Shepperd here and now. Satan cannot touch you anymore since now you are Christ’s property. (1 John 5:18)
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
“In the world you shall have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
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