Why this virus?

Numbers 14; Psalm 50; Isaiah 3–4; Hebrews 11

A Jewish preacher who believes in Jesus also believes that the purpose of God in this Covid-19 pandemic is to wake His people up to their need of repentance. He says that far too many Christians have become lax in following Christ and this outbreak is a warning. He bases his thoughts on how God worked in the past and how the history of God’s people in the Old Testament gives instruction for us in modern times.

Numbers 14 is an example. The people were crying, weeping, and grumbling. They thought they would be better off to pick a new leader to replace Moses and go back to the bondage of Egypt rather than face the challenges of living in the promised land. When Joshua (whose name means Jehovah saves) and Caleb urged them to not be afraid and move forward, the people wanted to stone these two to death.

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” (Numbers 14:11–12)

In these days, the enemy seems to be a tiny virus yet the Messianic Jewish preacher would say not. The enemy is flat-out lack of faith in the power of God and preferring to live in bondage than in the footsteps of Jesus. It is choosing to worship the idol of a perfect life rather than face the battles against personal sin and the mocking of others. It is choosing the American dream over service to the Eternal king. The preacher would also say that God is asking, “How long will my people despise me?”

A little booklet challenged me before I got out of bed this morning. It said to tell God that I will accept whatever He has for me today. Last night, I had a plan; hubby is golfing (yes, the courses are open) and creativity and my to-do list was calling. I’d had a week of having more interruptions to my plans than I can count. I was okay with most of it, but the challenge is huge. I often pray for someone’s salvation with, “ . . . whatever it takes” and tremble saying it. Now God is asking me to apply the same attitude toward my plans — put them entirely in His hands and accept whatever He brings into my life this day.

God also speaks to me about complaining like His people complained after the Exodus. My lot in life should produce incredible thanksgiving. He warns me again but also makes a promise:

“Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” (Psalm 50:22–23)

God’s answer to those who think their old life was easier than a walk of faith is seen throughout the Bible. Don’t turn back. He says through Isaiah the OT prophet that there will come a day . . .

 . . .  when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:4–6)

This is figurative language describing how He will bring His people back to what He intended. In modern terms, it is restoration and revival, exactly the preacher’s understanding of what God has in mind —the pandemic will bring His people to their knees in repentance.

Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter. Verse 6 says: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Do I live by the first part and forget the promise? Do I know He is with me and forget that He will reward my diligent efforts to walk with Him? If so, I need revival too — a restoration to my first love.

Isolation and the treat of a virus is not getting to me nearly as much as the idea that God is using this to reset the hearts of His people and bring us back to where we ought to be. We have made an idol out of the ‘good life’ to the point that thankfulness has become rare. A willingness to battle spiritual enemies in prayer and righteous living is even rarer.

APPLY: Hebrews 11 says  I am to desire a better country, a heavenly one and never desire to turn back to the bondage of sin. This means trusting the Lord with everything including whatever He might send my way today. Oh I do need His grace.

Speaking the truth in love . . . not easy!

I’m just finished Isaiah and now reading Jeremiah, two OT books that have fascinated me. God sent these two prophets to tell His people that their lives were a disgrace and that He was going to deal harshly with them unless they turned away from their sin. Tough assignment. Not only must they face a stubborn nation bent on idolatry, they must keep their own lives clean, otherwise God could not use them.

Thinking of my own life, I find it easy to see the need for change in God’s people today, and easy to be critical of Christians who are sinning in some way, but the challenge is in doing the right thing about it. Jesus offered this as the way to do it if the sin was personal:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15–17)

This is a challenge. Most of us would rather talk to other people about the people who have offended us, not go to them in an obedient and loving confrontation. The goal is restoration, not getting even, but the goal in telling everyone easily slides into making myself look better than the other person. This is a form of retaliation. Instead, Jesus wants this relationship made right so that everyone is humbled and built up, not full of spite and anger.

Paul wrote about it too. The main problem in the church at Galatia was false teaching about the way of salvation. There may have been some who didn’t fall for it and remained true to the gospel of salvation by grace through faith. To these he wrote:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (Galatians 6:1–5)

Spirituality is behaving like a prophet yet bringing the gentleness of Christ into the equation. It isn’t about a smug confrontation that looks down on those caught in sin. Instead, it is the attitude that I could be the guilty one so I need to realize we are all together in this battle against sin. None of us are superior.

Paul recommends that I test or examine what I am doing. If I am being obedient to Jesus, then I have no reason to lord it over the person who has been caught in sin. After all it is only because of the grace of God and the Holy Spirit that I’m able to live a godly life. Without Him, I would be in as bad or worse condition. I cannot think of myself as better than others because I am not.

This is clearly an application for today. Watch my own heart whenever I observe another Christian who isn’t watching their own heart. I cannot help them if I allow myself to be judge and jury or feel any sort of superiority toward that person.

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Lord Jesus, I know that I’ve a tendency toward spiritual pride, toward thinking I am something more than I am. Today, “search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23–24)

Today’s thankful list . . .

That I know the God who searches hearts and forgives sin.

That Your Spirit is willing to help me with tough assignments.

A good sermon on trusting God in the tough times.

Being at local botanical gardens in fresh air, sunshine and incredible scenes.

Having an exotic butterfly sit on my finger for several minutes.

The ability to order healthy Vietnamese food for supper.

Naps in my easy chair.

Raspberry sorbet.

Tough love? Or twisted love?

Last week I finished a fiction crime mystery in which the antagonist killed his first wife and tried to kill the second when they were pregnant. He didn’t want children. The odd part of the story is that this man was weeping as he did his evil deeds.

The story has him mentally ill, but it made me think of how twisted human thinking can be concerning love. The word is not only used for chocolate and pizza, but people claim great love for their family members as the reason for putting them to death. Sometimes they do it to ‘spare them’ from suffering. Sometimes they do it because they feel unloved in return.

The love of God is not like that. First and most important, His love is not conditional. That is, it does not depend on what we do or do not do. He loves because He is love and the very source of it . . .

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7–8)

This love wants the eternal best for His people. If His love is accepted, it becomes real and enjoyed. The problem comes when it is rejected. Then Satan’s biggest lie is readily accepted (“God does not love you”) and the idea of love is in danger of being perverted.

For instance, it is possible to discipline children because of love. Parents want their children to be safe, self-controlled, and able to treat others with respect. If love gets twisted, then parents might discipline because their children are annoying them or only because they had a bad day at work. This is not love.

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth with strong words of discipline. He didn’t want them to think he was being mean but to realize his words were driven by love. Love cares that other Christians live godly lives. Love will, if need be, do whatever is necessary to get those who stray back on track. At the same time, the one who is administering that loving discipline may feel conflicted . . .

But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. (2 Corinthians 1:23–2:4)

I can relate to Paul’s anguish. Who wants to speak harshly to those they love? I don’t. However, there are times when another person is harming themselves and others by their actions. Sometimes God puts it on my heart to say something, to speak the truth in love with whatever level of bluntness is required.

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Lord Jesus, this is always a tough assignment. I’m hoping You won’t test me on it today yet a test would not come as a surprise. Help me remember that love is not mushy nor is it cruel. Your love is about godliness. When I act like an unsaved person, it is love that wants a change. Because I can be stubborn, that change might require a swift kick or a smack to wake me up to my foolishness. Yet You do it in love, hugging me as You discipline me. Grant me the grace I need for whatever comes my way today.

Today’s thankful list . . .

Hot baths.

Apricots.

Visit from another granddaughter who came over on her day off work.

Quick mail order service.

PayPal making it easy to get paid.

Flowers, ferns, herbs and berries.

My incredibly thoughtful husband.