Gospel Hope in a Pandemic
My daughter loves books. Mostly she loves turning the pages herself and pausing to mimic the noises of any animals present in the story. One of my favorite books she has is Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I loved this book well before I held the title of ‘mom’. The premise is simple. It’s about a unicorn that believes little girls are real! All of her friends and family laugh at her for holding to this belief. But she’s “certain, absolutely certain that little girls were real.”
In our world today, it is very difficult to be certain about anything. Let alone to be absolutely certain about something. For many people, finances are in the air, lives are in disarray, schedules are thrown into the wind, jobs aren’t secure, health is in danger for ourselves and our loved ones, and no one knows when this will end.
Back on Thursday, March 12th, when I worked in a church office, my coworkers and I sat down at our staff meeting and discussed the possibilities of adjusting our church services if COVID-19 really became a threat. Not 5 hours later, our local authorities announced gatherings over 50 people were banned. We went into emergency mode and scrambled to learn how to get our services online. In the days to come, our lives were turned completely upside down. The school district went online. The grocery stores ran out of the essentials. The phrase ‘social distancing’ was added to everyone’s vocabulary. Groups were limited to no more than 10 people, then no more than 4.. Businesses closed. Colorado enforced a shelter-in-place directive.
Fast forward a year and a half later and the world has been forever impacted by this pandemic. We lost my dad to the virus. So many others have lost loved ones or have had it themselves. Jobs are still up in the air. There’s political unrest across the board in regards to ALL the things. It’s been a wild ride.
There is pain, chaos, and fear running rampant in the world today. The evidence that fear is the only outlook to have is hard to beat. The overwhelming despair is natural and universal.
And yet. There is one thing that I can be certain about. Absolutely certain.
My God is still who he says he is.
God does not change (Malachi 3:6). He remains good, just, sovereign, holy, and perfect in all situations. The hope I have in the gospel doesn’t waver in light of pandemics. The peace I have as a wretched sinner redeemed by a holy God stands secure. The comfort of the gospel wasn’t weakened when my dad passed away. God remains steadfast as COVID-19 tests come back positive, emergency funds are drained, and job security is lost.
Friends, the hope we have in Christ does not begin the moment we step foot into heaven. It is enough RIGHT NOW. It is enough for this pandemic. It is enough for what comes after. It is enough in the unknowns. It is enough when everything fails us and falls apart. How can I be so certain?
Because I deserved death. I deserved hell. I deserved the wrath of God to be poured out on me. But instead I received mercy. Instead, I received forgiveness. Instead, I received the promise to spend eternity in the presence of my holy, perfect God.
That is the hope I have. That is the hope I cling to when trials arise. That is the hope I hold when my life is turned upside down and fear is calling for me to serve it. This hope completely changes my perspective on the hardships of this life, because this life is not all there is. There is more to come. “This light momentary affliction is preparing for [me] an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Living through this pandemic doesn’t negate the promises made by God to his people. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He will be our strength in any and all circumstances (Philippians 4:12-13). He will continue to give us a spirit, not of fear, but of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
Friends, there is hope even when things seem hopeless. There is peace when chaos reigns. There is life when death is everywhere.
The gospel is not an insufficient Band-Aid that I haphazardly throw at every hard situation people face. It is the life-saving heart surgery that you and I desperately need.
And of that I am certain. Absolutely certain.
