In the midst of the coronavirus disaster, we are hearing many voices. The fact that the virus at the center of the crisis has many unknowns increases the cacophony. We hear experts contradicting each other, politicians leveraging the situation and the world’s top medical professionals doing their best to inform the public. All of this is natural as nations struggle to come to terms with something they were unprepared for and are uncertain as to how to respond.
What are we to believe? Conspiracy theories abound while evil minds devise ways to scam worried and stressed minds. The whole situation could, and does, raise the level of fear in the communities.
We need to stand back from the emotion and with a clear mind determine to hear one voice. We need to fear but not the emotional fear we see around us. We need to have godly fear. That reverence and godly fear will clarify the voice we listen to. That voice will provide calm confidence in the face of adversity.
Let’s consider the instruction given to us Hebrews chapter 12. This instruction clarifies the voice we need to hear. The chapter begins by pointing us to the real purpose of our lives by using the analogy of a race. Our calling and our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice sets us on a course not dictated by worldly conditions. We look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. This course will require endurance because God will work with His people to mold and shape us into His image. That is put in the context of correction (Heb 12: 1, 2, 6-8). There are times we will need to endure by faith. Now is such a time.
There is nothing you or I can do to stop a pandemic. We must have faith in God’s deliverance as we do with Christ’s sacrifice delivering us from the bondage of sin. The author of Hebrews goes on to eloquently picture the heavenly realm as our focus (Hebrews 12: 22-23). Mt. Zion, representing God’s dwelling place, heavenly Jerusalem and the Church are all brought together as a projection of the godly realm into our physical reality. We are bound to this realm by the new covenant (Hebrews12: 24).
The new covenant allows us to hear. “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25). God promises to shake up the earth “yet once more” (Hebrews 12:26). All the signs that we may be in the beginning stages of this shaking are around us. In Zechariah chapter 7 we see this example. God speaks, “Thus says the lord…” and the response of His people was, “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so they could not hear” (Zechariah 7:9-11). For this they did not escape but went into captivity.
We, through the new covenant, have ears which can hear the voice of Him who speaks from heaven. That is the voice to which we must be attuned.
There will be earth-shaking activities as God works His plan into an end time scenario. But this is not our kingdom. We belong to the spiritual realm by Christ living His life within us. That cannot be shaken. God’s instruction to us is clear, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).
We must not “turn away from Him who speaks from heaven.” In this we will have faith and confidence in God’s handling of the affairs of this earth. We are to “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” God is building something that cannot be shaken. And we are a part of that building program.
Have faith, do your part and be calm, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Brian Orchard