Yesterday was the second Sunday we met together virtually, and I for one can’t wait until we can put aside social distancing and meet again face-to-face. I miss your voice as you sing songs to the Lord and offer prayers to Him for the sake of others. I miss your attentiveness as we look into His Word together and I especially miss our times of fellowship when we can catch up on things and see how everyone’s doing.
But since it appears this ordeal our nation is going through will last for several more weeks (hopefully not longer), I thought it would be encouraging to remember in the face of uncertainty what we do know for certain, and in our world of constant change, what is unchangeable and will remain forever.
Things We Know For Certain
There are so many things in our life right now that we have no control over. How long will the coronavirus last? What’s going to happen to our economy? Am I going to have enough money to pay my bills and feed my family? How can I protect myself and those I love from all of this? And the list of questions seems to be endless.
There are so many uncertainties right now. And nobody can give us any definite answers.
But there are some things that are certain and will never change, no matter what happens. And as long as we keep our heart focused on these unchangeables, we will not get swept away by the swirling tides of doubt, fear, dread, and depression that often follow.
Certainty Number One: God Loves You!
Scripture repeatedly reveals the wonderous fact that God loves you and you are loved by Him. The word that describes the love God has for you is, of course, agapē. This is the highest form of love. It is a covenant love, an altruistic, unconditional love that describes the love God has for His own Son and even for you and me.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love” (John 15:9).
Just think about this statement for a moment. As God the Father loved His own Son, so the Son has chosen to love each of us, regardless of how undeserving we are. This love is not based on what we think we deserve or what good we have done, but on the nature of God whose very essence is love (1 John 4:8). And in every instance cited the word used to describe this kind of love is agapē.
So rest or abide in this love that is unchangeable and will last forever.
Certainty Number Two: God is Sovereign
As you know, my life verse is Psalm 115:3, which reads, “But our God is in heaven; He does what He pleases.” In other words, our God exists beyond what we can touch, see, hear, taste or feel. He resides far above our financial problems or worries about the future. His abode is in heaven and from His throne, He does what He wills. His desire can never be thwarted, delayed, or hindered. Never. This can be either good news or bad. If you trust God and see him as your loving, forgiving, merciful Father, these are very encouraging words. But if you view God through the eyes of an abused child and see Him as an angry, selfish, narcissistic, bully (that many of us may have had as earthly fathers), then His sovereignty becomes frightening.
But the Bible constantly reveals the character of God to us. And His character coincides precisely with the fruits of the Spirit He gives to us. He manifests Himself by the fruits of His character. They are an extension of Himself and only come when He, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, resides in each of us. This is who God is:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
This is a perfect description of your sovereign Father. No need to live in fear or doubt.
So as you see wall-to-wall news coverage on how terrible the coronavirus is and how our economy is going to collapse and how one party is not doing what’s right for the other party or now everybody is a racist… whew. Just remember Certainty One and Two: God is Sovereign, and in His sovereignty, He has chosen to love you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
Rest in that love. Abide in that love. Take a deep breath and relax in that love.
And live secure in the fact that God sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and as long as you are in Him, you’ll be okay.
If there’s anything I can do to help you or if you have any specific prayer needs, please let me know.
Until tomorrow or until we see each other again face-to-face,
