Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (NIV)
Thoughts: We are called to know Christ but also to know His power. It is one thing to know Christ as a person- but miss the power of His resurrection. Billions claim to know about Christ; Billions claim to know Him in some way; But to know His power- His ability- His strength- His help- His amazing wonders- His power emanating from Him is another matter. If your God can do nothing either for or against you- then you may want to re-examine if this is the right person you are worshiping. God does not just exist in the past. He did not just have power when He created the world- and then He not only rested but stopped. God did not just do miracles in the Old Testament times- for about 2,000 years and then He did miracles through Jesus and the apostles until the Bible was canonized. God is still God- and that means He is providentially alive and powerful. He governs the world in His providence. He rules the world through His power.
There are different ways to focus or respond to getting over this virus. Let me list a few.
1) A stiff upper lip- just endure it and it will go away. This is the stoic way, and it is a growing way of looking at life in America. The problem with stoicism is it offers no hope and no meaning just "get through it" is all, when there can be so much more.
2) We did it ourselves. Last week, the governor of New York self-gratifyingly said, “We have turned the corner on the Coronavirus plague. It was not faith or prayers that did it. Only hard work and science.” How does he know that God had nothing to do with it. He did not take an agnostic stance but an all-knowing stance that God did not heal anyone, God did not help anyone, God did not give any ideas to anyone, God didn't give courage or inspiration to anyone (even the Samaritan's Purse hospital in Central Park?). God often works through our hard work, our science, and our wonderful volunteers, and the people who socially distanced out of consideration of others.
3) We could pray to the evil itself. I see this in people who are in awe at the power and spread of this virus. They cower only at the virus and do not bow to the true God. In the ancient world this was common. So the plague takes on a persona and offerings are made to it. So in Corinth statues were made of the syphilis virus and the boils and growths STDs produced in an offering to the goddess of love for the easing of pain. There were many plague gods in Akkadia Aplu/Apollo, Babylon Nergal, China Wen Shen, Northern Europe Ruohtta, Aztec Xipe Totec, and in Egypt Resheph- whose being the plague god did not stop the 10 plagues caused by the Hebrew god. We do not need to worship the power of corona and fear the corona-virus as if it were all-powerful, or that the sickness and pain it brings about are the ultimate end of life.
4) We could worship and look to the Lord to raise us up. It is the power of God over pestilence and death that God shows in the Passover/Exodus and also in the resurrection of Christ. No plague/pestilence/disease/sickness or evil can stop His life and thus our hope. Our focus should not simply be on our stiff upper lip, our own abilities, the pain and evil around us. Rather we are called to lift up our heads to the power of Christ. He offers us hope, the ability to cope, but also the power of God to overcome. By the way, the greatest healing agent against the corona-virus is not something you buy over the counter- or even bleach or any kind of alcohol- but it is UV rays found in FREE- God-given sunlight! we do not worship sunlight- but we should give thanks to the One who gives it.
We would do well to remember, especially today, the power of God to resurrect us and lift us up as a nation now- and the ultimate resurrection later.
Prayer: Lord, Let me focus on your power instead of my powerlessness. Let me wait on your timing instead of giving into my impatience. May your power not only protect us, heal us, but also raise us back up again.
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