The Pandemic and God

I received a text the other day. And I confess that it greatly disturbed me. My pope (I am Catholic) – and he is not alone among religious leaders of every denomination – Pope Francis rightly called for all peoples to join together in prayer for an end to this plague.

Certainly, Pope Francis did what is right to do. He, and every other pastor and bishop and deacon and THOSE IN THE PEWS – must pray. 

But that is only half of the story.

All Christians have the incredible privilege to be lights of hope and exhortation and yes, even warning to a world in stumbling in spiritual darkness. The nations who’ve turned from God – including our own nation of America – see lots of darkness. Fear has blinded their eyes. And what is it they cannot see?

Let me suggest this answer: They cannot see nor hear the Lord calling all of us to repentance – personal repentance for our rebellions against God’s commandments and national repentance for our ongoing and brazenly soul-numbing sins, from abortion, fornication, adultery and all sorts of sexual perversions.

Nations – including America – are guilty of murders and slanders and lies and cheating and drunkenness and idolatries of all sorts. And the root of it all can be traced to a common and near-global blasphemy against God Himself and those who love Him and who tell others of His grace AND judgement, and His offer for forgiveness to those who will obey Him.

No one can read the Bible with any sense of humility and not recognize God’s patience is not without limit. He has used war and famine and pestilence and earthquakes time and time again to judge and to discipline nations and even – perhaps especially – those that used to follow God.

Yes, you and I run the serious risk of blatant mockery from others when we suggest this current pandemic might be of God’s doing. Well, so be it.

Finally, let me add this: Christians like to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 as if by naming it and claiming it God is obligated to heal our land. But let’s look quickly at that verse in context with the one before it:

"If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

I hope you caught every word of those two verses: If God sends pestilence, and if His people humble themselves, and turn from their wicked ways . . . then He will hear, and He will heal.

God will do His part, but He expects us to do ours. And our part is to confess and turn from our evil ways.