“WHAT SHALL WE DO?”
Unless you have been isolated from all forms of communication for the last couple of months, you are well aware of the fact we are currently experiencing another pandemic of a terrible disease that is capable of causing death, COVID-19 or commonly known as Coronavirus. Remember SARS that caused widespread panic back in 2002-2004? It was officially known as SARS-coronavirus.
The problem with diseases such as this, they are so easily spread and yet, controlled by taking simple measures such as washing your hands. This disease affects more than people’s health. Can you imagine being one of the people being quarantined on cruise ship in a port for 14 days and even worse being confined to your cabin? It is like putting your life on hold for two weeks while you wait and see if you are sick or not.
The governor here in the state of California has declared a state of emergency because of this virus, however, I really don’t know what that means or what all it entails. Nobody ever explains that! We do need to, to quote Barney Fife, “Nip it in the bud.” Is there a sure-fire way? Can it ever be wiped out? Will it get worse before it gets better? Is this such a problem because people have allowed their immune systems to grow weak? At this point, there are far more questions than answers.
There is one pandemic, however, that affects everyone everywhere and that is sin. When these diseases, such as coronavirus, come to the forefront of public knowledge, it really illustrates the importance that most of the world puts on the temporal instead of the eternal. These outbreaks cause panics and people work feverishly to find a cure or at the very least, find a way to stop the progression. There are many people who work tirelessly to spread the gospel and help people get the cure for sin. It seems that not as many people are interested in that cure even though the diseases of sin has greater consequences than any other disease that exists!
In reality, I often think about God’s hand in all of this. First, let me state that I am not a doomsday prophet nor am I predicting the end of times (Matthew 24:36-36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”). Throughout history, God has used circumstances to turn people’s hearts to Him when they had turned away. When Israel sinned against God, after so long, He would allow them to suffer in some way to get their attention. God allowed the enemies of Israel to conquer and enslave them in order for them to realize that God is in control and that only God could save them. Even in the New Testament in the first chapter of Romans we read of God turning over depraved people to their own ways. Paul later explains that this is done in hopes that people turn back to God.
Again, I am not saying God is causing problems, however, He can use any circumstances to achieve His will. God has one simple desire, that all men come to a knowledge of the truth, repent, and be saved (See I Timothy 2:3, 4; II Peter 3:9).
God is calling everyone everywhere to deal with their one common problem, sin. He has given us the cure and it is available to anyone who desires to be free from sin. The cure is being washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. It is our choice. The cure is always right in front of us!
Read Acts 2:14-41