Remember Your Hope | A Pastoral Word Concerning COVID
Dear Christian,
There is no pastor on earth who is completely fit for this hour. We are all in over our heads. We are all out of our depth. We are all struggling to know the best way to lead those entrusted to us as we face increasingly anxious, divisive, and hostile times. With heartfelt love, and acknowledgement that I do not have the answers to all of the questions we face, I offer the following word of exhortation and encouragement. I pray you receive it as it is intended: as an act of love for your good, to build up your faith, to point you to Christ, to strengthen you in your Christian witness, to restrain you from veering off track, and to shepherd you as I believe the Lord Jesus Christ would have me shepherd his precious people. May the Lord be pleased to fulfill his purpose for these words.
Dear Christian, remember your hope!
Dear Christian, remember your hope, (I Peter 1:3-7)! Remember the promises of God for his people and the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ which assures us that they are true, (Hebrews 7:22)! Remember the blood which was shed to liberate you from the “fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15), and the Spirit which has been poured out upon you as a “deposit” and “guarantee” of the better things to come, (Ephesians 1:14)!
Precious ones loved by God our Father, I urge you in the Lord:
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good, (Romans 12:21).
Ruthlessly judging the character of those who disagree with our opinion on impossibly complex issues can never be called love. Ignoring sound arguments and concerns from our opponents can never be called wisdom. Shaming and coercing others into submission to our preference can never be called unity and peace.
If we as Christians are to be defined by love, then we must put down our stones. If we as Christians are to be known for our heavenly hope, then we must show that our priorities extend beyond this fleeting life, (Isaiah 40:6-8). If we as Christians are to testify to the truth of our faith, then we must trust in the One who says our days are numbered and fixed according to his sovereign will and cannot be added to or subtracted from by any anxious toil of men, (Psalm 139:16; Matthew 6:26-27).
Beloved, use wisdom as best as you can for your personal situation. Make decisions based on how you may best glorify God, (Romans 14:7-8). But whatever you do, do it by faith, not fear, (Romans 14:23). Do it with love and respect for others, not judgment and ridicule. There is no singular ethical mandate that equally applies to all unique persons and situations with COVID. There is not a one-size-fits-all answer. We must recognize that we cannot control this virus, we can simply walk by faith in the God who is good at all times and use the best faith-anchored wisdom we know along the way.
Christians do not show the world that they are ‘different’ by masking or not masking, by being vaccinated or not vaccinated. We show the world we are different by our supreme trust in the Lord Almighty, our unwavering love for him and devotion to him even in the midst of the storms and suffering of life, and in our other-worldly commitment to sharing forth and actively demonstrating the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in our interactions with our fellow man.
COVID does not define our faith and practice, the Scriptures do.
COVID does not define our hope and peace, the resurrection does.
COVID does not define our ethics and conduct; that place belongs to Christ alone who is the only true fulfillment of the righteous Law of God.
King Jesus rules his Church with perfect wisdom, and he is doing so now, beloved. He is on his throne. Nothing is limiting him. He is not being thwarted. He is not wringing his hands. He is not anxious or afraid. His eternal and holy will is being done to the letter even now in the midst of the brokenness of this world.
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good, (I Peter 4:19).
Let us pray, together with the early church, to the “Sovereign Lord who made heaven and earth,” the God who works all things according to his will; whom no one can question and whose hand cannot be stopped, (Daniel 4:34-35). Let us pray to the God who stands in the fire with his faithful people, (Daniel 3:28). Let us pray to the God who makes a way through the sea, and brings forth life-giving springs in the desert, (Exodus 14:10-16). In the midst of the sufferings of our day let us not merely pray for physical earthly survival, but for boldness to proclaim Christ in the hour when the light of the truth will shine brightest amidst the darkness! Let us petition the throne of grace for the Word of God to go forth in our days as never before!
Toward that end, I offer the following prayer which has been adapted from the words of Acts 4:24-31. May we offer this prayer to our God together, as one body in Christ, and may he be pleased to answer 100 fold what we sow in faith:
“Sovereign Lord, who made heaven and earth,” all things are working as they always have: by your hand and according your predestined plan. You know our fears, our hurts, our confusion and struggle. You know the challenges we face full well. Therefore, we plead, as your people always have, that you would “grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.” We pray that our hearts would be shaken anew by the power of your Holy Spirit reminding us of our hope and convincing us more and more that the greatest need of the hour is not safety but salvation. O Lord, we are weak and afraid, but you can make us strong and bold in Christ. Do this and more we pray, and for your glory, amen.
Dear Christian, remember your hope.
Resting in finished work of Christ,
Rev. Thomas C. Brown