Fragility. Death. Lack of control. In moments like this—the global pandemic of coronavirus—these rise to the surface.
The fragility of our world is exposed as a new virus spreads rapidly, the stock market responds to uncertainty, and crowds empty shelves at Wal-Mart. Our sense of security and normalcy also flies off the shelves.
A fear of death surges through our bones as we assumed we would live another few decades with no problems. And this fear challenges our staunch convictions about life and life after death.
Our lack of control is exposed and we feel helpless. Often we respond in anger towards others or we isolate and hoard goods to find some semblance of protection.
If you are a skeptic, an agnostic, a naturalist, or “kind of a Christian” because of how you were raised, I believe this is a providential grace to you. Revealing you need a bigger story to be a part of. Revealing you need something to anchor to. Revealing you are needy. When day-to-day life is safe and normal we rarely ask deeper questions about our souls, our beliefs, and our future. Might this be the time to ask those questions?
Might Chrisitanity have something to say to you in the face of fragility, death, and lack of control? The Christian story is not one of being strong so these don’t affect you. The Christian story is the good news of a person being weak to rescue you. A meek person who lived in our shoes and knows our suffering. A person who died to kill the fear of death in you. A person who exposed your lack of control and exposed your defiance, independence, unbelief, and lack of trust—sin. A person who took your sin on their shoulders to give you peace. The Christian story is the only story where the hero suffers for the villain; at the hands of the villain. The Christian story is the story of this world being the Father’s world. He created it beautifully, we marred it by our sin, he is redeeming it through the work of his Son—Jesus, and one day he will put to end all sin, disease, and death.
Fear of death falls away you when you put your faith in Jesus.
Lack of control doesn’t pain your soul when you believe the Father is in control.
The fragility of this world doesn’t terrify you when you turn from hoping in yourself or the world’s system but rather hope in the Lord who created all things.
What will you choose to believe? Where will you put your hope?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Ryan
If you want to know more about the Christian story read here.