What is God up to in this pandemic?

Deuteronomy 30; Psalm 119:73–96; Isaiah 57; Matthew 5

This pandemic makes me consider what God is saying to this world and to His people. I cannot be certain what His words are to others, but for me I am hearing that He wants those who believe in Him to act like it. He says things like:

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13–16)  

Salt makes people thirsty. His people are supposed to make people thirsty for Jesus. If we lose that ability, He says we are useless in this world. Even nonbelievers dread being useless however for us, the way is doing good that God is glorified. From what I am hearing, many of God’s people have adopted worldly goals and strayed from that goal.

This is not new. In Moses’ day, they were drifting too. He had to say to them:

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deuteronomy 30:15–20)

Does this mean that Christians who are stricken by Covid-19 are perishing because they have abandoned their faith? Not necessarily. The prophet puts it this way:

“The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.” (Isaiah 57:1–2)

I’ve said many times that for me, this is a win/win situation. If I am spared from this pandemic and live, that is a win. If I get it and die, I will be with Jesus and that is also a win. But this is not true for everyone. God also says of those who love the Lord and turn back to Him — and those who do not:

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:18–21)

APPLY: It seems to me a good test for where I stand at any given moment is the test of peace. If my heart is at rest, even with the worst of news and stats on this pandemic, it is because God’s peace is there. I don’t earn it but I can drive it away by failing to trust Him. However, if I get fearful and trying to control my comfort zone, this says something about where I stand regarding trust in the only One who actually is in control — these days and from the very beginning of all days.