“so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”
2 Corinthians 5:4
It looks like Minnesota is about to go through lockdown again in reaction to increasing numbers of coronavirus cases. Everyone has an opinion on this, it would seem. Melissa commented this morning about how people are so afraid of dying. She’s right. People are afraid of dying, and they should be.
What’s incredible is that God has offered forgiveness to all who turn from their sin and worship him. God is God, and we’re not; so, it only is right that we assume our proper role. Yet we don’t. Oh, sure, some of us are very religious, but we come up with our own god to worship. We may even call him Jesus and ourselves Christians, but we’re really only worshiping that which WE created.
And we know this.
Sure, we may lie to ourselves enough that we believe the lie, but we know the truth. Let’s put it this way, humans all know enough to be condemned – as in aware enough to be guilty in the 1st degree. “So they are without excuse,” as Paul teaches. It’s amazing that we all have this concept of justice. Who doesn’t believe in the idea of “what goes around, comes around”? People will see others getting by with something, and they are quick to say, “Karma,” even though they don’t believe in Buddhism or the eastern religions.
It’s crazy to think that we all desire justice and even crazier to thing it shouldn’t apply to us. Or that each of us gets to decide who gets what punishment for which offense. We are all trying to get away with the biggest fraud and theft imaginable (lying and stealing our way into heaven) knowing full well we aren’t fooling God. Yet we keep the scam going knowing that our house of cards will certainly come crashing down.
No wonder we’re afraid of death!
It doesn’t have to be that way. God doesn’t want us to perish. He takes no pleasure in it. He wants us to turn and be saved. To give us life, not death.
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Let’s not forget that God created calamity. This virus is here for a reason, a purpose whose ultimate end is to glorify God. Yes, that’s right. This coronavirus is here to glorify God. How do you suppose that will work out?
How might YOU glorify God with the pandemic? Does Jesus’ return and judgment day fit into your action plan? It should.
Father, keep my focus on Jesus’ return. I want to be alert, awake, and doing my Lord’s business when he returns. I don’t know when that might be other that it will be soon. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
Copyright © 2020 Scott Powers