How Not to Lose Heart During a Pandemic Quarantine

April 27, 2020

During our Question/Answer time following the morning service yesterday (you can find the service and the Q/A here), the first question was a great one, and I was only able to give a partial answer off the cuff - but several more answers have come to mind in the past day and a half. The question was this: “What are some ways to stay positive and not descend into the spiral of negativity which is so easy to get trapped in during this time?” The question recognizes how difficult the past two months have been - many feel trapped, stuck at home, stuck with their families, unable to go where they are used to going and do what they are used to doing. It is easy to get discouraged, to lose heart, to grow weary - even to grow discontent, bitter at God, covetous of the way we were able to live before this pandemic. To be sure, these are days of sorrow and loss, so if we are grieved and saddened and mourning, such emotion is to be expected and affirmed. Too often we try to do every thing we can not to be sad. Yet sadness, in a fallen world, is an appropriate response. But like the apostles, God calls us to be “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (II Corinthians 6:10) - to grieve as those with a great hope (I Thessalonians 4:13). How do we do that?

I answered this question by reminding us how important it is to begin and spend and end our days in the word of God and in prayer. Meditating on God’s promises, God’s character, and God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ throughout the day will enable us not to lose heart as we struggle through a pandemic quarantine (see II Corinthians 4:16-18). But there are other good and helpful answers to this question. Here are a few (starting the list with the number 2 so that we don’t forget #1 above):

2. Spend time with other people. Now maybe you think, “This is exactly what I’m not able to do!!” or “It’s the people around me that are causing me to be so negative!!” It may be true that you aren’t able to be with people as easily as you once were. But I encourage you to be creative in how you spend time with others. Perhaps it something as simple as an old fashioned phone call, or as high tech as a Zoom or Facetime video chat. Perhaps you sit in someone’s driveway and talk to them or eat lunch together from a distance. Perhaps you participate in the new social distanced practice of drive-by home parades, and talk from your cars. If you’re able to combine #1 and #2, all the better - how we need to be encouraging one another with the word of God, strengthening one another in the Lord (I Samuel 23:16; I Thessalonians 5:11). Make sure to spend time with people who are going to comfort and sympathize with you, but who will also challenge and rebuke your discontentment, and exhort you to put your trust in the Lord with them.

3. Get outside. This may seem like an “unspiritual” answer - but when you recall that God has made us body and soul, and that God has made all things to display His glory, then Christians must never forget that one of the best ways not to lose heart is to spend time in nature, in God’s creation. Not only will you get needed vitamins (and recognizing that our souls are affected by our bodies, how important it is during these times to recognize the connection between physical health and spiritual health), but you will get needed perspective. God is sustaining all creation, and He will sustain you all your life. See the majesty and goodness of God in plants, animals, bodies of waters, the blowing wind, the brilliant sun. Read Psalm 8, Psalm 19, Romans 1:18ff., Acts 14:17 - then go out and see the power and kindness of God.

4. Serve someone. One of the best ways to fight negativity and discouragement and a downcast spirit, is to focus on someone other than yourself. Often our negativity is sinful: it’s selfish, self-centered, envious, jealous, bitter, prideful, discontented, covetous. Fight off these bad fruits by seeking to do good to someone around you. Love your neighbor, whether through writing them a letter, making or baking them something, buying something for them, doing something unexpected for them, etc. Joy comes from making someone else happy. Be a blessing to someone else in need - and you won’t only see that your needs are not perhaps as large as you’ve made them out to be, but you will also gain the blessing promised in Jesus’ word: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Undoubtedly there are more ways not to lose heart as we suffer through this season of affliction - so please leave your answers in the comment section below!

God-Confidence brings Contentment

John C. Kwasny

April 24, 2020

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”  (Hebrews 13:5-6)

We are inching closer to being able to re-open some businesses, having more movement in society, and getting our economy going in the right direction again.  I know we all wish that day would come sooner than later--especially for all who are unemployed or are losing significant income as business owners.  One of the most disgusting political ploys during this pandemic has been the irrational pitting of those who “love money” against those who “love people.”  It goes something like this: If you are in some way concerned about the economy, then you don’t care that people are dying from Covid-19.  This effort has created a warped either/or: it’s either the economy, or it’s public health.  We’re being told that if we truly loved people we wouldn’t even care how long we have to do without money to provide for our families.  Now, hopefully, you can see through this illogic and know that you can actually be FOR people living AND FOR people making a living.  It doesn’t have to be one or the other.  We need to protect human lives AND we need the engine of the economy to start humming along again.

Yet, in a time when all of our incomes have been impacted to a small, medium, or even large certain extent, it is important to examine our hearts to see if we are, in fact, driven by the love of money.  No, you may not be an Ebenezer Scrooge; but, have you found yourself fearful and anxious as your savings has dipped or your income has fallen?  Have you had to give up some creature comforts that have caused a bit of sadness or even depression?  It would do us good to remember what the writer of the Hebrews says:  that the opposite of the love of money is the dreaded word, “contentment.”  Be honest, you don’t like that word either, do you?  Sure, we all want contentment in our lives, but to actually, actively BE CONTENT is another matter.  We are, by nature, discontented beings.  It takes the work of the Spirit in our lives to find that secret of daily contentment.  Unfortunately, we only learn if we are truly content when we are in the midst of trying times--like the present!

But don’t miss HOW the Spirit produces contentment in our hearts: It happens when we put our confidence in God alone.  Now, I don’t know about you, but I often put my “money-making” confidence in my own skill, giftedness, employability, and overall ability!  But God’s Word calls on us not to be more self-confident, but increasingly God-confident.  Look at Hebrews 13:5-6 again.  The author declares that we can truly be content because God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Let those words sink in and wash over your mind.  What an amazing truth!  Then, he doubles down and says, “So we can CONFIDENTLY say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”  (Would it be wrong to add, “what can the coronavirus do to me?”)  The truth is, the level of our contentment tells us where our confidence really lies.  Only when we are confident that the Lord is our greatest helper, and that He will never leave us or forsake us, will we be able to grow in Godly contentment through this time! 

Good Words from an Elder Statesman


Dean Williams

April 23, 2020

A few weeks ago, I shared my thoughts concerning the inestimable value of our seniors. I gave particular emphasis to the debt of wisdom and practical knowledge they possess as a result of their decades long walk with the Lord. The same exact sentiment applies to the long serving Teaching Elders in our Presbytery, the Presbytery of the Mississippi Valley. One such elder is William C. Hughes, known to most of us as Bill Hughes. Bill is an 81-year-old Teaching Elder who is currently the primary Pulpit Supply Minister to Carthage Presbyterian Church (CPC), in Carthage, Mississippi. Prior to his semi-retirement, he spent almost 23 years at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson. While there, he served in various capacities, most notably as Administrative Pastor. Bill lives here in the city of Ridgeland, and I am beyond delighted to say that he is a neighbor of mine. The following are the contents of a COVID-19 related letter that Bill recently shared with the members of CPC. I pray its contents would beautifully speak to our hearts as well:

Under the sovereign hand of God, the Coronavirus has appeared so suddenly. For most of us, our world has been filled with upheaval and uncertainty, both in our health, and our finances. For all of us, there have been various adjustments to our way of life, this, as we respond to the new demands of these COVID-19 days.

I’m reminded of the scene in the book of Joshua (Chapter 3), where the people of Israel are on one side of the Jordan River and the Promise Land is on the other side. The day before they were to cross the river, they had no idea how they were to get across. Much like us today, they must have wondered, how do we face our uncertain future?

The river Jordan, at this time in history, was in flood season, and there were 2 ½ million people on one side of the Jordan. And making matters worse, God had told Israel to stay and watch the raging river, for 3 days; night and day. They saw the problem in front of them, much like our Mississippi River and Pearl rivers only a few weeks ago. God promised Israel they would cross the Jordan on dry land in order to enter the Land of Promise. Yet, here they were.

The Coronavirus is our Jordan, hindering our progress in living, posing setbacks, establishing brick walls, causing us to be faced with storms and raging waters. Our solution is the same as was Israel’s. We need to understand our helplessness before God. God is with us, and in control, in these troubled waters. In crossing through our Jordan(s), don’t take your eyes off the Lord Jesus, and don’t look at the troubled waves and water. Keep your eyes fixed on Christ, for He alone can carry you through on dry land.

Here are some practical questions to ask: Lord, what are you teaching me right now? What is it you want me to learn? How do you want me to grow more like you in this? Lord, what sin do you want to purge from me?

The 84th Psalm is a beautiful expression of love for the sanctuary of God to all who worship and love Him. As the sovereign Lord has allowed this scourge upon our land, I pray that we would seek refuge in Him through His Word. Perhaps a consequence of these COVID-19 days, will be that we will see how perishable this world, and all that’s in it really is, and that our God is in control and full of love for us who know Him.

-- William C. Hughes

More Questions and Answers!

April 20, 2020

Yesterday we tried something new - a brief time of questions and answers after the morning worship. Our goal was to have some interaction that we’re prevented from having since we aren’t gathering corporately right now, as well as to provide an opportunity for further unpacking of the rich truths of God’s word. We received great questions via text, Facebook, and YouTube, and most of them arose out of the sermon I had just preached on I Peter 1:1-2. (If you would like to hear the sermon or see yesterday’s Q/A time, please click here.) We’ve had good feedback from you on this experiment, and do plan on continuing it while we’re only live-streaming our services.

Due to the limited time, we weren’t able to answer all the questions we received. So I want to take this chance to answer some of those briefly.

1. Can you offer any words of encouragement for Christians to pursue personal holiness and ministry to our communities and neighbors in times of trials (like now) when many times our gut instinct is to just wait for “normal” to return?

I’m immediately reminded of C. S. Lewis’ statement in his essay “Learning in Warfare,” found in the book Weight of Glory: “If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work.  The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come.” Lewis was talking particularly about the work of education, gaining knowledge as a student. But replace “knowledge” with “holiness” or “ministry opportunities” and you have a great answer to this question. Yes, the pursuit of holiness and ministry is made more difficult in some ways given our circumstances. But from another point of view, other ministry opportunities - like phone calls, Zoom chats, letter writing, driveway conversations with neighbors, shopping for shut-ins - are more convenient and more normal during these days. And certainly there an abundance of ministry opportunities in these fearful days! In addition, our new circumstances of sheltering in place with family members, dealing with so much loss, all the uncertainty surrounding this virus, etc., are showing us new areas of sin and unbelief that we need to put to death and apply the gospel to, and new areas where we can strive to be holy as God is holy. Even if things never go back to “normal,” the call to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to help others do the same, remains our duty (II Peter 3:18). And our God is sufficient at all times to help us by His Spirit to become more like Jesus. Nothing is too difficult for Him, so let us press on for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ, however abnormal the times are.

2. I don’t understand the distinction you made between the two different definitions of sanctification. How can one live a life of holiness without being daily made more like Christ?

I hope that I didn’t communicate that we can live a life of holiness without being daily made more like Christ, for that is not at all what I intended to say at all! Rather, the distinction I was making was between what we might call positional/definitive sanctification, and what we might call progressive sanctification. Sanctification is both an act and a process. Peter in I Peter 1:2 is referring to the former. The Holy Spirit sets us apart from sin and consecrates us to God at the beginning of the Christian life so that we might begin to live a set apart life in our daily experience. Every Christian has been sanctified in Christ Jesus (I Corinthians 1:2; 6:11) and is being sanctified in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:19; I Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23). The act of the Spirit’s setting us apart/sanctifying us is the basis of His ongoing work in making us more and more holy. The Bible uses the language of “sanctification” in both ways, though more frequently it is speaking of a definitive sense - although we typically use the language to refer to the process of growing in Christlikeness (as do the Westminster Standards). Both senses are absolutely vital to a right understanding of the Scripture, and to our glorifying and enjoying God. So let us pursue holiness, knowing that we are already saints - holy ones - in the Lord Jesus by His Spirit.

3. There are some pastors who call themselves apostles. What should we think about that?

This is an unfortunate and unbiblical practice that I wish would end. It is clear that the apostles were foundational to the church of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:20; 4:11), and that there were specific qualifications to be an apostle. The apostles had seen the Lord Jesus Christ in human form and performed signs and wonders to attest their calling. Though Paul was not a part of the original group of apostles, but was one untimely born, he saw the Lord and performed the signs of an apostles: “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?…The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works” (I Corinthians 9:1; II Corinthians 12:12). Pastors who call themselves apostles not only denigrate the biblical office of apostle, but may also be claiming an authority that belonged only to those the Lord Himself gave this title and status.

4. Can we be too heavenly-minded that we’re no earthly good?

Possibly, if being heavenly-minded wrongly leads one away from engagement in the world to live a life of service and good works toward the saints and those outside the church. But this question hints at a false dichotomy, as if heavenly-mindedness and earthly-goodness are incompatible. True spirituality, true heavenly-mindedness, should always catapult us from the presence of God into the brokenness of this world with love and grace. As we seek the things that are above, and set our minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth (Colossians 3:1-2), then the way we relate to other people, the way we do our jobs, the way we approach the lost, will be transformed (see Colossians 3:5-4:6). Those who are closest to the Lord Jesus through prayer and His word should be the quickest to desire to “do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

5. How does predestination practically change the way I live in my suffering?

When we know that God has chosen us for salvation from before the beginning of the world, then no matter what we go through, we know that He is working it for our good and our final salvation (Romans 8:28). We know that trials are not coming because He is still angry with us, for He has chosen us to be covered by the blood and righteousness of Jesus His Son, on whom He poured out His full wrath in our place (I Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:1-12). We know that no difficulty or hardship can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). We know that we can endure all things for the sake of those whom He has chosen for salvation, as Paul did in prison (II Timothy 2:10). There are many other ways to answer this question, but these four are sufficient for now. The next two sermons in I Peter will touch on this theme in part, so stay tuned!

20 Quotes from Dane Ortlund's New Book "Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinner and Sufferers"

This book is awesome. This is incredible Christology with heart-warming devotion. This is a book that anyone can read. I can’t say enough about it.

Let me tell you, these 20 quotes were hard to choose. I’ve underlined over 50% of the book with many times writing “wow”, “good”, or “stunning” beside something underlined. I’ll let these 20 quotes say more than I can:

  1. “Meek. Humble. Gentle. Jesus is not trigger-happy. Not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated. He is the most understanding person in the universe. The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger but open arms.” p.19

  2. “The point in saying that Jesus is lowly is that he is accessible. For all his resplendent glory and dazzling holiness, his supreme uniqueness and otherness, no one in human history has ever been more approachable than Jesus Christ.” p.20

  3. “If we are asked to say only one thing about who Jesus is, we would be honoring Jesus’s own teaching if our answer is, gentle and lowly.” p.21

  4. “What helium does to a balloon, Jesus’s yoke does to his followers. We are buoyed along in life by his endless gentleness and supremely accessible loneliness. He doesn’t simply meet us at our place of need; he lives in our place of need. He never tires of sweeping us into his tender embrace. It is his very heart. It is what gets him out of bed in the morning.” p.23

  5. “Time and again it is the morally disgusting, the socially reviled, the inexcusable and undeserving, who do not simply receive Christ’s mercy but to whom Christ most naturally gravitates.” p.27

  6. “When we are speaking of Christ’s heart, we are not so much speaking of one attribute alongside others. We are asking who he most deeply is. What pours out of him most naturally?” p.29

  7. “It is impossible for the affectionate heart of Christ to be overcelebrated, made too much of, exaggerated. It cannot be plumbed. But it is easily neglected, forgotten. We draw too little strength from it. We are not leaving behind the harsher side to Jesus as we speak of his very heart. Our sole aim is to follow the Bible’s own testimony as we tunnel in to who Jesus most surprisingly is.” p.29

  8. “The same Christ who wept at the tomb of Lazarus weeps with us in our lonely despair. The same one who reached out and touched lepers puts his arm around us today when we feel misunderstood and sidelined. The Jesus who reached out and cleansed messy sinners reaches into our souls and answers our half-hearted plea for mercy with the mighty invincible cleansing of one who cannot bear to do otherwise.” p.32

  9. “He does not get flustered and frustrated when we come to him for fresh forgiveness, for renewed pardon, with distress and need and emptiness. That’s the whole point. It’s what he came to heal. He went down into the horror of death and plunged out through the other side in order to provide a limitless supply of mercy and grace to his people.” p.37

  10. “When you come to Christ for mercy and love and help in your anguish and perplexity and sinfulness, you are going with the flow of his own deepest wishes, not against them.” p.38

  11. “Our difficulties draw out a depth of feeling in Christ beyond what we know.” p.49

  12. “He doesn’t handle us roughly. He doesn’t scowl and scold. He doesn’t lash out, the way many of our parents did. And all this restraint on his part is not because he has a diluted view of our sinfulness. He knows our sinfulness far more deeply than we do. Indeed, we are aware of just the tip of the iceberg of our depravity, even in our most searching moments of self-knowledge. His restraint simply flows from his tender heart for his people.” p.54

  13. “Jesus can no more bring himself to stiff-arm you than the loving father of a crying newborn can bring himself to stiff-arm his dear child. Jesus’s heart is drawn out to you. Nothing can chain his affections to heaven; his heart is too swollen with endearing love.” p.55

  14. “Look to Christ. He deals gently with you. It’s the only way he knows how to be. He is the high priest to end all high priests. As long as you fix your attention on your sin, you will fail to see how you can be safe. But as long as you look to this high priest, you will fail to see how you can be in danger. Looking inside ourselves, we can anticipate only harshness from heaven. Looking out to Christ, we can anticipate only gentleness.” p.57

  15. “Fallen, anxious sinners are limitless in their capacity to perceive reasons for Jesus to cast them out. We are factories of fresh resistances to Christ’s love. Even when we run out of tangible reasons to be cast out, such as specific sins or failures, we tend to retain a vague sense that, given enough time, Jesus will finally grow tired of us and hold us at arm’s length.” p.63

  16. “We cannot present a reason for Christ to finally close off his heart to his own sheep. No such reason exists. Every human friend has a limit. If we offend enough, if a relationship gets damaged enough, if we betray enough times, we are cast out. The walls go up. With Christ, our sins and weaknesses are the very resumé items that qualify us to approach him. Nothing but coming to him is required—first at conversion and a thousand times thereafter until w are with him upon death.” p.64

  17. “If you are part of Christ’s own body, your sins evoke his deepest heart, his compassion and pity. He takes ‘part with you’—that is, he’s on your side. He sides with you against your sin, not against you because of your sin. He hates sin. But he loves you. We understand this, says [Thomas] Goodwin, when we consider the hatred a father has against a terrible disease afflicting his child—the father hates the disease while loving the child. Indeed, at some level the presence of the disease draws out his to heart to his child all the more.” p.71

  18. “The sins of those who belong to God open the floodgates of his heart of compassion for us. The dam breaks. It is not our loveliness that wins his love. It is our unloveliness.” p.75

  19. “Christ’s heart is a steady reality flowing through time. It isn’t as if his heart throbbed for his people when he was on earth but has dissipated now that he is in heaven. It’s not that his heart was flowing forth in a burst of mercy that took him all the way to the cross but has now cooled down, settling back once more into kindly indifference. His heart is as drawn to his people now as ever it was in his incarnate state. And the present manifestation of his heart for his people is his constant interceding on their behalf.” p.79

  20. “He rises up and defends your case, based on the merits of his own sufferings and death. Your salvation is not merely a matter of a saving formula, but of a saving person. When you sin, his strength of resolve rises all the higher. When his brothers and sisters fail and stumble, he advocates on their behalf because it is who he is. He cannot bear to leave us alone to fend for ourselves.” p.91

For the Amazon link to the book, click here.

Here are some of the endorsements on the back of the book:

“I have read no book that more carefully, thoroughly, and tenderly displays Christ’s heart.” Paul Tripp

"Written with pastoral gentleness and quiet beauty, it teases out what twenty biblical texts contribute to this portrait of the heart of Christ, all of it brought together to bring comfort, strength, and rest to believers." D.A. Carson

"Dane Ortlund masterfully handles a treasure trove of Puritan wisdom and deftly presents it to the Christian reader." Rosaria Butterfield

“My life has been transformed by the beautiful, staggering truths in this book. Dane Ortlund lifts our eyes to see Christ’s compassion-filled heart for sinners and sufferers, proving that Jesus is no reluctant savior but one who delights in showing his mercy. For any feeling bruised, weary, or empty, this is the balm for you.” Michael Reeves

“Dane Ortlund writes about what seems too good to be true―the Lord delights to show mercy to you and to me―so he works very carefully through key texts and enlists the help of saints past. I was persuaded, and I look forward to being persuaded again and again.” Ed Welch

“Dane Ortlund helps us rediscover the heart of Jesus that is the very heart of the gospel. This delightful book opens up the sheer immensity of Jesus’s tender love for us. As you immerse yourself in Christ’s very heart, you’ll find your own heart warmed at the fire of the love of God. Ortlund opens up a neglected theme among the Puritans (in bite-sized chunks that won’t overwhelm you), where you’ll discover their grasp of the beauty of Jesus’s love. Your soul needs this book. I highly recommend it.” Paul E. Miller

Is It All Over?

John C. Kwasny April 17, 2020

7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? 8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” 10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. (Psalm 77:7-11)

I just want to go back to the way things used to be.  I want life to be normal again.  I want to be freed from this governmental leash!  These, and other related sentiments, have certainly been bouncing around in most of our minds and hearts lately.  As time has marched on, the responses to these desires have changed.  At first, there were all sort of “guarantees” that this would all end soon, the invisible foe would be vanquished, and life would go back to normal again.  While there are still some voices out there send those messages, the louder chorus sounds more like this: Things will never be the same.  There will only be a “new” normal.  The government must put in more restrictions and limits to keep us all safe into the future.  No more handshakes.  No more large gatherings.  Proof of immunity before you can leave your home.  Masks everywhere.  So, what do we do with all of this?

While this moment in time is “novel” for most of us, it’s nothing new in the history of mankind.  There have always been major crises, even worldwide ones, which have threatened the established order.  Many of them did create a new normal, and changed how people lived their lives.  Others (like Y2K, for example) threatened to undo absolutely everything, but never materialized.  There have always been doomsayers telling us that “it’s all over.”  There have always been those who use these opportunities to control how people live, supposedly in order to save mankind (or the planet).  And there have always been the rest of us who easily submit out of either fear or duty.  So again, I ask, what will we do with all of this?

In whatever ways this nation and the world continues to respond to this virus in the coming weeks and months, our response as Christians must be tethered to REMEMBERING the Lord.  In Psalm 77, The author beautifully articulates the deeper thoughts of our hearts during times like this:  Will the Lord spurn us forever?  Will He never again give us favor?  Has His love for us ceased?  Are His promises over?  Has He forgotten to be gracious?  Do you have any (or all) of these questions in your heart as well?  If so, the right answers come only when we say with the Psalmist: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”  Only then will we remind ourselves that NO, the Lord will not spurn us forever; YES, He will give us favor, mercy, and grace; NO, His love for us has not ceased!

But we must look back and remember in the right ways.  Not just longing for the good old days when we could go to a ballgame, a concert, or even gather for worship on Sunday.  Not just looking back and wanting the “old” normal rather than the new one.  We are to look back in order to remind ourselves of WHO God is and WHAT He has always done for His people.  Just another reason to stay in God’s Word every day!  And, for spending time rehearsing what He has already done in your own story, as well as all of history.  So, is life really over?  Not when your life is in union with Jesus Christ who loves you with an everlasting love, and is the Lord of all Creation!  Remember Jesus, the greatest “deed” of the LORD!         

 

 

 

 

In Pursuit of Godliness

April 16, 2020

Godliness is at least one of seven qualities (II Peter 1:5-7) we’re asked to add to our faith after we become Christians. Its significance is noted by the amount of times it appears in Scripture. There are at least 16 references to godliness in scripture. All of them are in the New Testament, mostly occurring in I Timothy and II Peter. The following is an excerpt of a blog post on godliness, authored by Mr. Loren Lung, a pastor, commenting on I Timothy 4:7-8:

“Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (I Timothy 4:7b-8)

There was a woman on the television the other night who went on a diet. She exercised and watched what she ate. The weight began to fall off. She went from 240 pounds down to 110 pounds. She had surgery to cut off extra skin. She was a real success story.

But along the way she became a different person. Her friends all said she had changed for the worst. She became conceited and arrogant. She got involved in all sorts of questionable practices and divorced her husband who had supported her through her efforts. She even began to snub the very people who had helped her to achieve her new and “improved” life.

Physical training and discipline are important for weight loss and certain other issues, but if you really want to change in a truly meaningful manner, with lasting significance, then you had better train in godliness. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy that training in godliness is beneficial for both this life, and that which is to come.

Godliness is taking on the very attributes of God. It includes unconditional love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and selflessness. These are in stark contrast to what the world provides.

For this woman, she wanted to look good. And when she reached that goal, she wanted all the worldly rewards that went with it. She sacrificed her principles and any relationship that didn’t benefit her new life.

Godliness often stands in stark contrast to this world. This world is about selfishness, getting ahead, and stepping on whoever it takes to get there. Godliness is about putting God’s will and others ahead of our own needs. That is why Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It involves putting your own wants and desires aside and dying to this world.

Prayer: Dear Lord, you are the wonderful example of love and grace. Please help me, by the power of your spirit, to train in godliness so that I can live in a manner that brings glory to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness.” (William Carey)

“How do you train yourself to be godly? You certainly want to practice the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible reading and Christian fellowship. But you also want to practice making right decisions and putting God first in your life. You want to learn how to center your whole life around God. And most of all you want to practice trusting God every day of your life.” (Ray Fowler, Baptist Pastor)

It's Friday, but Sunday's Comin'

April 10, 2020

John C. Kwasny

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:1-2)

One of the more influential Christian authors in my high school and college days was a pastor named Tony Campolo.  Some of you probably haven’t heard of him.  For those who have, please don’t be concerned about my spiritual discernment--this was in the days before he became an ultra-liberal evangelical socialist (and I was young and foolish).  His early books were engaging, hilarious, and always convicted me to live out my Christian life in this world, in ways that really made a difference.  One such book had the great title: It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Comin’.  It came from a sermon delivered by a southern African-American preacher—a phrase that acted like a refrain after each of his points.  He must have repeated, “It’s Fri-i-day…but Sunday’s Comin’” hundreds of times in his sermon.  And yes, you guessed it: It was his Good Friday message!

I love the way Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us a vivid image of how to live from a “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’ mentality.  The writer paints a picture of a race, like one that is run in an Olympic stadium (yes, I too grieve the loss of that event this year). You, Christian, are the athlete running the race of life.  God has set your race before you.  In the stands are all those who have already finished their race.  But, where are you to look?  At the “great cloud of witnesses”?  No.  At the other runners?  No.  At the circumstances around you?  No.  Only to Jesus, described here as both the “founder” and the “perfecter” of our faith.  There He is, sitting at the right hand of God!  He endured the cross on Friday, rose again on Sunday, and is now in Session with the Father until He returns for us one day.  On our risen Lord is where our eyes should always stay!

But don’t miss the important charge given to us as we run this race of the Christian life: “Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely.”  These have always been extremely convicting words to me.  I am often weighted down with the cares of this world.  I have sin which still clings way too closely to my heart.  How about you?  And, what do these things do to us?  Just slow us down.  Impede us from running in a way that loves God and other people.  Keep us from being the godly men and women, boys and girls, that God has called us to be.  In the end, they distract us from looking up to Jesus, living in the joy that comes from His embracing of the cross.  So, go ahead and lay aside every weight and sin that is holding you up today.

On this strangest of Good Fridays you may have ever experienced, remember that Sunday is still comin’.  The darkness that was dispelled on Friday burst forth into glorious light on Sunday!  Whether or not we EVER emerge out of our social isolation again, resurrection is coming because Jesus is alive.  Jesus, our resurrection firstfruits, conquered death and sin and coronavirus for us, guaranteeing our everlasting “resurrection Sunday.”  It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’!  

What Does the Bible Say About Fasting?

April 6, 2020

In light of the coronavirus pandemic that is wreaking such physical, emotional, and economic havoc among the nations of our world, four denominations are jointing together this Friday for a day of prayer and fasting: the PCA, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP), and the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). Fasting is not a religious practice most evangelicals are familiar with - it’s typically associated in our minds with Romanism or Islam. Our lack of knowledge of fasting, both intellectually and experientially, is unfortunate.

Biblically speaking, religious fasting is not a mindless act of ritualistic formalism or asceticism (though it certainly can devolve into that). It’s not a technique to help you lose weight (though some may fast as a dietary method). It’s not waking up too late for breakfast, or being so busy you forget to eat lunch. Rather, it is to deny oneself intentionally some or all food or drink for a period of time in order to humble yourself before the Lord and to seek Him earnestly and intensely in prayer during that time. It is all too possible for fasting to become legalistic (“I fast twice a week,” Luke 18:12) or formalistic, just going through the motions, or to be seen by men (see Isaiah 58:1-12 and Matthew 5:16). But Jesus assumed that His people would fast: “But you, when you fast…” (Matthew 6:17). When the disciples of John the Baptist asked why Jesus’ disciples didn’t fast, He answered, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15).

As Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:17-18, fasting is something one can and ought to do individually before God, as we see in the lives of David (II Samuel 12:16; Psalm 35:13; 69:10; 109:24), Ahab (I Kings 21:27), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4), Daniel (Daniel 9:3), Anna (Luke 2:37), and our Savior Himself (Matthew 4:2). But it also can be practiced corporately, as we see when the sons of Israel were defeated by the tribe of Benjamin during a civil war (Judges 20:26), when Israel gathered together to confess its sin in the days of Samuel (I Samuel 7:6), when Israel mourned the deaths of Saul and Jonathan (I Samuel 31:13; II Samuel 1:12), when the Moabites and Ammonites came to fight against Jehoshaphat and Judah (II Chronicles 20:3), when Ezra set out to lead the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:21, 23), when Israel gathered to confess its sins in the days of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:1), when King Ahasuerus decreed the destruction of the Jews, and when Esther prepared to go before him concerning that edict (Esther 4:3, 16), and when the Ninevites desired to repent (Jonah 3:5). It was the prescription of Joel to the people of God as a sign of their repentance (Joel 1:14; 2:12-15). We see churches in the apostolic period fasting and praying together as they set apart men to gospel ministry (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23).

Clearly then, there is biblical warrant by command and by example to engage in this practice. Our Reformed forefathers who wrote the Westminster Standards recognized solemn fastings as one part of religious worship (Westminster Confession of Faith 21.5; Westminster Larger Catechism 108). Though they saw no biblical warrant for holy days other than the Lord’s Day, or for particular stated days or seasons of fasting such as Lent, yet they did see a place for fasting: “There is no day commanded in scripture to be kept holy under the gospel but the Lord’s day, which is the Christian Sabbath. Festival days, vulgarly called Holy-days, having no warrant in the word of God, are not to be continued. Nevertheless, it is lawful and necessary, upon special emergent occasions, to separate a day or days for public fasting or thanksgiving, as the several eminent and extraordinary dispensations of God’s providence shall administer cause and opportunity to his people” (Westminster Directory for Worship, 1645).

Fasting is an expression of humility (Isaiah 58:3, 5), of mourning (Nehemiah 1:4; Joel 2:12), of contrition (Nehemiah 9:1-2), and of dependent supplication (II Samuel 2:21; II Chronicles 20:3; Ezra 8:21; Daniel 9:3). By forsaking food and/or drink, the one fasting declares that his or her need for God far surpasses his or her need for daily bread. Whether that need is forgiveness, guidance, intervention and deliverance, or strength to go on (or all of the above!), fasting is a physical action that should flow from the heart, in which the physical hunger or thirst reminds us of and manifests our deeper hunger and thirst for God. As David Mathis beautifully explains, “Fasting, like the gospel, isn’t for the self-sufficient and those who feel they have it all together. It’s for the poor in spirit. It’s for those who mourn. For the meek. For those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. In other words, fasting is for Christians. It is a desperate measure, for desperate times, among those who know themselves desperate for God” (Habits of Grace, 121-122).

The COVID-19 crisis is undoubtedly a time in which fasting and prayer is right and good, so I encourage you to join brothers and sisters around the country this Friday in seeking the Lord’s face for mercy and grace. Instead of eating breakfast and/or lunch and/or dinner, pray. If this Friday is not a good time for you, then perhaps pick another day. For resources to help guide your time of prayer, check out this short article by Richard Pratt, or this list of suggested prayers. May the Lord hear, may the Lord draw near, may the Lord answer our cries to Him for help.

Interview with Asa Watson (Missionary in Germany and former Professional Football player)

One of the ideas that I was inspired by from some other youth workers was to do some interviews with some people for our youth to watch. In this interview with my good friend Asa Watson, we talked about how he went from playing professional football (with me at the New England Patriots in 2014), to working with a pit crew in NASCAR, to campus ministry, and now to being a missionary in Germany. Asa and I also got to talk about what it’s like to live on mission and how to be a Christian in an increasingly secular culture.

How I Survive Social Distancing (Paul Tripp)

Here is a helpful excerpt from a recent blog post from Paul Tripp:

Does this sound like your daily routine? When you wake up every morning, the first thing you do is check the news to discover the latest stats and developments:

How many cases of COVID-19 are in my town or state?How long is this social distancing predicted to last?What are the financial markets doing today?What does the latest expert have to contribute?

(If you’re anything like me, you’ll be tempted to do the same again before bed ... and revisit multiple times throughout the day!)

Staying informed and making wise decisions based on that information is a good thing. The problem is that we can develop an unhealthy habit in our hearts where we meditate on trouble and forget God.

When we do this, the crisis will loom larger and larger, and God will appear smaller and smaller.

Only one thing can result from such a habit: fear.

Paralyzing, panic-producing, anxiety-resulting fear.

Today I want to help you fight against fear and break that unhealthy habit.

For the full blog, click here.

Living Limited Before an Unlimited God

April 3, 2020

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. (Psalm 103:14-16)

From the first day of Kindergarten, math was my absolute favorite academic subject.  It not only fascinated me, but it always seemed to make perfect sense.  When the teacher taught us that you can’t subtract a greater number from a smaller number, I believed her.  After all, if I have three chickens, and my neighbor needs four chickens for a dinner party, I can’t fulfill that order.  All I can do is sell him my three chickens.  Sound reasoning. That was, until my older cousin informed me that it was all a lie.  He told me that you CAN subtract a greater number from a smaller number—since there is something called “negative numbers.”  Negative numbers?  I almost totally gave up on math the day of that revelation.  Thankfully, when I advanced just a few more grade levels, I learned the logic behind this strange concept.  Math became enjoyable again--even when it didn’t seem to make as much sense as it did in my limited Kindergarten experience.

If you have either forgotten negative numbers or simply choose not to acknowledge their existence, you know the related concept of infinity.  Symbolized by that cool figure eight lying squished on its side, infinity has no limits--it has no end.  So, in geometry, we learned that a line has infinite length—it goes in both directions, without end.  Then, when fractions were taught, we learned that one-third is a finite number; but written as a decimal, we get 0.33333…with threes that repeat infinitely.  Finally, there’s the mind-blowing concept that infinity is not a real number and cannot be measured—it is a limitless idea.  Yet, as complicated as infinity may feel, it’s actually quite simple.  Why? Because when something has an end, we have to define what that end, or limit is.  But, on the other hand, when there are no limits, there are literally NO LIMITS!

Mathematics is incredible because it reflects the order and magnitude of our Creator.  The God of the universe is infinite—like the straight line, He has no beginning and no end.  As Genesis 1:1 puts it succinctly: “In the beginning, God….”  When our world began, God already existed.  That theological fact alone gives Him the full power and ability to bring everything else into being by the Word of His own power, out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3).  Since God is infinite, He alone created all that is finite.  Foundational to our understanding of ourselves as human beings is the recognition that God has always existed and will always exist.  There will never be a time where God is not.

When we consider the characteristic of infinity, we must return to the term “unlimited.”  When something finite is described as unlimited, it only appears to have no end.  The puppy that seems to have unlimited energy.  The ocean that appears unlimited from your position on the beach.  This novel coronavirus that seems unlimited in its impact on humanity.  But of course, even the most gregarious of puppies, the largest ocean on earth, and the most virulent of diseases have ends, or limits.  The triune God does not!  Everything about God is unlimited—His love for His people, His knowledge and wisdom, and His presence in the universe.  Best of all, His holiness is unlimited, which means He cannot sin or do anything against His holy nature.  In a sense, God only has self-imposed limits against sin and evil because He is without limits.  An unlimited God is confined by nothing external, and no one else in existence.

So, when we arrive at the truth that God alone is unlimited, it brings our own limits into sharp focus.  As the Psalmist writes, “for he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”  Our days are like grass—we flourish for a little while, then we are gone.  In these days of a raging pandemic, always remember your limitations.  Even with all the social distancing in the world and personal cleanliness habits, you are not unlimited in your power to stave off sickness.  All humans, all scientists, all medical professionals, and all world governments are limited in knowledge, wisdom, and skill.  Thankfully, even a seemingly all-powerful virus has its limits.  But, praise be to God, our Father is the unlimited One of the universe!  Only when we rest in that truth can we “live limited” before an unlimited God!   

 

 

 

Let’s Hear It For Our Church MVPs: Our Seniors

April 2, 2020

Since the rise of the current pandemic, our seniors have been cast in the spotlight. Chiefly so, because they are the ones who have been statistically identified as being the most susceptible to the gravest effects of COVID-19. Today, I’d like for us to reflect on the fact that they should be in the spotlight for another reason: the Church absolutely needs them! Here are four reasons why:

1. We need their prayers.

Our seniors have walked with God for some time. They have experienced his sanctifying work in their lives and have learned how to humbly approach His throne of grace, fully reliant upon his mercies, effectually praying according to His will.

In the short time that I’ve been here, I’ve seen God work in ways that can only be explained as an act of His Spirit in response to the means he has ordained to accomplish His ends, prayer (James 5:16). I’ve been to a few of the Senior Bible studies and have personally witnessed earnest prayers being lifted on behalf of certain individuals and the entire church. God has worked marvelously through the prayers of these saints. So, seniors, wherever you are, even in these times, know this, we as a church need your prayers.

2. We need their practical, biblical wisdom.

Moses was arguably one of the greatest leaders in scripture. He was someone who was audibly chosen and led by God. But guess what? If he could speak to us in person today, he would tell us that without the wisdom of a senior, his father-in-law Jethro (see Exodus 18:1-27), he would have probably continued to needlessly expend energy and strength in a very unwise manner, trying to manage everything on his own. It took the wisdom of a senior to help him become more efficient in accomplishing a task that God himself had given him.

Bruce Watke and Haddon Robinson were both seminary professors by whom I had the benefit of being taught. Both were well into their 80s when they taught me. Haddon has since gone on to be with the Lord.

I’m so thankful that these men continued to pass on their biblical knowledge and life experiences until they literally could not do so anymore. Whether through teaching a class (like Ken Utley), sharing a comment during a Bible Study, or encouraging a young woman during fellowship, every church member needs the wisdom that comes from decades of studying the Word mixed with decades of experience.

Seniors, please continue to speak into the lives of younger believers with love and truth and grace. The church needs your wisdom, biblical wisdom that only comes from years spent in the Word and walking with Christ in both life’s joys and sorrows.

3. We need their encouragement.

As senior saints, their words of encouragement matters. How impactful it is, for example, to see instances where a young sleep-deprived parent lights up because a senior, from the heart, simply says something like, “Your kids are a joy.” And how about the discouraged empty-nesters, struggling with change, who through a senior couple, rediscover hope, as they witness God’s faithfulness in marriages spanning decades of time.

As the Psalmist exclaims, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4). Dear senior, please don’t hesitate to share your stories of provision and grace and forgiveness, and to remind us of God’s goodness and faithfulness. We need your encouragement.

4. We need their presence.

Unfortunately, none of us can closely gather at this time, but when the time comes for us to once again gather as a body of believers, seniors, your presence among us is essential.

There’s something particularly special about the redeemed people of God coming together for worship and seeing a full range of age groups. There’s something about coming together to worship with people who are different than us, even generationally. That sort of diversity points to the beauty of the gospel and the glory of God. There’s just something special about knowing fellow saints who can speak of God never abandoning them through decades that powerfully reminds us of the faithfulness of God.

Considering all that I’ve stated above, I pray that we would all take some time to thank God for sustaining and keeping our seniors among us, after all, they are, our MVPs.

 

The Immunity of Christian Hope, By David Elston

April 1, 2020

This article was recently posted by one of the ministries we support, Biblical Counseling and Training Ministries (BCTM). May it encourage your heart today!

The Immunity of Christian Hope
by David Elston (a counselor at BCTM)

What hope do we have during this season of upheaval and uncertainty? Where is peace found when our normal sources of security - family, friends, money, jobs - are up in the air? The coffee shop barista who has lost a job, the high school senior who will miss prom, the restaurateur who is now considering bankruptcy - where can they find hope in the midst of their loss? 

Coronavirus has made one thing obvious: hope and peace cannot be found in things that, to use the words of Jesus, “moth and rust destroy” and “thieves break in and steal.” To use more updated terms, things that Coronavirus can infect and affect. So then, to where or to whom do we go for hope? Jesus offers us a hope that is utterly immune to Coronavirus and that will outlast the collapse of civilization: his resurrection. With Easter Sunday being less than two weeks away, this is an especially appropriate time to reflect on this hope and how it applies to our current predicament.

Before Good Friday was Good

Before the resurrection occurred, the cross was everything but victorious. Friday was everything but Good Friday. What hopelessness must have been in the hearts of the two women as they watched the limp body of Jesus laid in the tomb! What panic must have peaked in the disciples as the stone was rolled in front of the tomb! They had placed every last ounce of hope in Christ and the kingdom that he promised to establish. They had entered into Jerusalem just five days ago with their heads held high as their Master was praised with palm branches as King. And now those same heads wagged with shame and grief over the complete humiliation of that King.

It is probably not too difficult for you to empathize with the overwhelming emotions of the disciples as you see COVID-19 threaten your security and take away things that are precious to you. The disciples had just witnessed the greatest tragedy in all of history. Of course they are panicking! Of course they’ve fallen into a black grief! Could there be anything worse than people putting to death God's Beloved who came to save them? Creatures putting to death their own Creator?

The Dawn of Hope

But let’s continue to track with their emotions as hope enters into the Story. The Sunday morning after Jesus died, in the midst of their panic and grief, Mary Magdalene and her friends went to visit the tomb. And we know they didn’t have a clue what news awaited them there, because they were discussing on the way how they were going to get the tomb’s stone rolled out of the way so they could see his body and mourn.

When they got to the tomb, an angel delivered the news to the mourning women: “He has risen!” “What? No, there’s no way. Can't be…can it?” A bewildered hope entered their hearts that perhaps Friday was not the end of the Story. A wild faith emerged that looked beyond the limp Body taken down from the Cross to the power and faithfulness of God. Matthew calls this mixture of emotion, “fear and great joy,” Mark calls it “trembling and astonishment.” However you describe it, Jesus’ disciples were blindsided by the hope of the resurrection. Akin to their Old Testament ancestors, they found the answer to the question, “Is anything too wonderful for God?”

But perhaps the most fearful, joyful news of that Sunday morning was that the cross of Friday was, after all, a good thing. The very thing that caused such grief was now a cause of joy. The very thing that had humiliated their King now exalted him. For his death was not the end of his kingdom, but its inauguration. Apart from the resurrection, Jesus was just another martyred prophet. But his resurrection declared his sacrifice an acceptable payment for the sins of his people. What a fearful, joyful thing that our God can take news as terrible as the crucifixion of the Son of God and turn it into the Good News that we know it to be today. This is why the cross has for so long been the defining symbol of Christianity.

The resurrection also serves, in this sense, as the basis of Christian hope in suffering. For if even the death of God’s Son can be made into such good news, what sorrow of ours will not undergo the same transformation? Let us not doubt God’s power and promise to apply the resurrection to our own sufferings, sooner or later. As CS Lewis once said, let us not say of a certain sorrow that no future bliss can make up for it, forgetting that heaven works backwards: God does not only promise to make up for our suffering with a consolation prize, but promises to transform our agonies into glories, just as he did the tragedy of the Cross. Christ, in his resurrected body, is the Living Hope that all who believe in him will share in the blessings of his resurrection. Some of those blessings we receive now (the "down payment") and some we'll receive in the age to come.

And as you consider your present circumstances, here in the midst of COVID-19, can you look beyond the limp body of our nation's economy to the faithfulness of God? Can you see a future beyond the crucifixion of your career, a future that rests in the hands of a King who loves you enough to take a bullet for you? As you suffer, will you do so in hope, believing that whatever agonies await you in the next month can and will be transformed by the same God who transformed the agony of Jesus?

Suffering and Hope Go Hand in Hand

Now, that does not mean we are called to be stoics who do not feel any pain - not at all. Jesus himself was “deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” when sickness took the life of his friend Lazarus. And as Lazarus’ friends and family mourned their loss, Jesus himself wept over his world that had been infected by death. 

What’s happened in China, Spain and Italy is awful. What’s unfolding now and in the next few weeks in the United States is very real and scary. In the past two weeks, I’ve talked with pastors who wept over the devastation of their flock, 12th graders who won’t walk at graduation, bosses overwhelmed at having to lay off half their employees, moms floundering to teach their children at home. My own (very social) child burst into tears at the thought of weeks (months?) without seeing his friends. Wherever you are in this mix, however you are suffering, take a moment and imagine with me the face of Jesus as he wept over the death of Lazarus. How does that face look to you? Did his eyes simply get moist or did the tears flow freely? Did he cry quietly to himself or sob aloud? Did he hide his face or did he let everyone see the pain on it, and see the heaving of his chest? Whatever it looked like, it was striking enough that the bystanders looked at him and said, “See how he loved him!” It was obvious to them that Jesus must have cared very deeply for Lazarus and his two sisters to have wept in that way. Do you know that in the same way he wept over the loss of Lazarus, he weeps with you, believer, over your losses? And the implication of his tears are the same for you as well: “See how he loves us!”

But for the sake of hope, we must remember the rest of Lazarus’ story. Jesus wept knowing that five minutes later, Lazarus would be alive and well again, resurrected from the dead. In other words, hope and suffering were not contradictory for Jesus, but could both be in his heart at the same time. Surely we, too, are allowed to grieve, to be deeply moved, to weep over suffering. And just as it was with Jesus, rather than deep distress and grief forcing hope out of our hearts, such suffering can go hand in hand with hope. 

COVID-19 can infect our bodies. It can collapse the economy. It can disrupt our way of life. But it cannot infect our hope if it’s in Christ, who overcame the world; in Christ, who lovingly died for us; in Christ, who resurrected from the dead. For our fate is already secured, being wrapped up and joined to his fate. So take heart, you who are in Christ, you have a hope that is immune to all suffering, even the Coronavirus.