“For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: ‘Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.’” Isaiah 8:11-15
In many ways, over and over again the culture will try and tell us that the sky is falling. Whether it is the media who thrive on selling doom and gloom, or just a pessimism in the world around us.
The latest crisis just happens to be the Coronavirus. There will be other things in the future. The question is who or what do we fear? Who or what do we dread? Will we be like chicken little and proclaim the sky is falling every time a new crisis or potential crisis comes along? Or will we trust in God and have a proper fear of God?
That does not discount being prudent. We should do those things that might help to keep us healthier like washing hands well or seeking means we can to avoid illness. But fear and panic and falling into worry about a conspiracy around every corner can and should be avoided by the Christian.
The true conspiracy is that man is in rebellion against God because of his sinfulness. Man conspires against God’s truth. Man is not only prone to sin but he also doesn’t always seek to love God and to love his neighbor.
For the Christian we can face the latest natural disaster or the latest virus or the latest news reports not with fear or dread but with peace because we trust in the one who is Sovereign over all things and who holds us, past, present, and future, in His hands. So, we rest easy. Not that we won’t have to face hardship, suffering, or even death, in this life, but we do so from a perspective of faith and of trust and of peace.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah.” Psalm 46:1-3
May God give you His Peace this week as you live in a fear filled world.