 Today we reflect on Isaiah 52:1-10 as we consider a contagious Christian response to the current coronavirus crisis. Tomorrow we will resume our daily Scripture readings, meditations, and reflections. Please share this post with others and take advantage of this season to re-engage our journey through God’s Word together. There is nothing more important for stability than studying Scripture. An Irresistible Christian Response To The Coronavirus Crisis Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This truth is in contrast to the ever-changing headlines of our culture that are leading to heartache for many losing a handle on hope. Christians must abide in the unchanging person and truths of God and His word to live with hope from our heart and in our homes as we share hope with our world. People are looking for stability and security and Christians will be irresistible in their faith when we live securely under the headlines of Heaven.
The Church has largely accepted two realities of the current crisis: First, We must love our neighbors through seeking to flatten the curve by practicing social distancing. Second, we are definitely heading into a new normal and none of us know what to expect. For an irresistible faith in and through this storm the Church must accept a larger reality, namely that Our God Reigns and He is sovereign over every detail. The wind and the waves will obey His voice. We must first acknowledge the remaining uncertainty: How severe will the crisis become? Will our healthcare system be sustainable? How severe will the downstream implications be for families, the economy, and our society? Acknowledging the uncertain nature of our times strengthens the transformation coming from believing in God’s unchanging nature that must rule the hour. Grace and promise in crisis and calamity- Read Isaiah 52:1-10 Isaiah’s original audience was a people in exile with potential to panic, uncertain of their future, and devastated by a rapid change of the landscape of life. In this oddly identifiable historical context we see the shaping power of the headlines of Heaven which publish peace- Our God reigns. The reality of this revelation is a theme of Scripture and Isaiah 52:1-10 shows us why it should be the theme of our song. Grace awakens God’s people. Like the prodigal son who came to his senses and returned to the Father (Luke 15) God’s people are to “shake off the dust and arise,” to awaken (52:1-2). The presence of the Lord empowers God’s people. The Lord shows up in the midst of uncertainty, fulfilling His covenant promise with His presence, saying “Here I am.” (52:3-6) God is not practicing social distancing. God is with us and His grace and presence empowers us to sing of his already accomplished but not yet fully applied salvation. Isaiah 52:7-10 are lyrics to a song and God’s people are commanded to sing in current circumstances (vs 8-10). There is broad participation in the song of salvation: messengers (7), watchmen (the prophets, 8), the city (9), and the ends of the earth (10). Paul picks up on the power of this passage in Romans 10:14-17, a portion of Scripture the Church uses to encourage God’s people toward faithful participation in God’s global mission. When we see this chorus sung along with Angels who sing with sinners who come home (Luke 15:10) we understand that participation in the song of salvation is cosmic in scope- will you join the choir? Heavenly Headline offering hope: Your God Reigns The substance of the song will be what carries Christians along through the current coronavirus crisis: YOUR GOD REIGNS (52:7). Believing this from our heart will come from preaching this to ourselves again and again, messengers with beautiful feet who publish peace and bring good news when the headlines of our world lead to hopelessness: YOUR GOD REIGNS. Living these lyrics with our lives will lead to contagious faith in our communities. When the power of nations is paralyzed we must proclaim, OUR GOD REIGNS! When the supremacy of the economy is neutralized we must proclaim, OUR GOD REIGNS! When the fear of the unknown is crystalized we must proclaim, OUR GOD REIGNS! In our sickness and our sorrow, in our questions for tomorrow, we must proclaim that OUR GOD REIGNS! When we are parked on a powder keg of panic we must plug into the power of God’s promise through proclaiming, OUR GOD REIGNS. Our creator God is on the throne, working all things according to the council of His will, for the good of those who love Him and for His own glory. OUR GOD REIGNS, and what the enemy intends for evil our God will work for good. SHARE HOPE! Evangelism in crisis comes from believing the headline There has been a lot of good writing on grabbing the rope of Christian heritage and running towards plagues with healing and (re)learning to love our neighbors. But what does it look like to believe the Heavenly headline from our hearts and live in hope and peace both in our homes and for those longing for hope? Hunger for life- An elder in our congregation is in the highest category of vulnerability with COVID19. After our session meeting last week he said, “If I catch the virus I have a fourteen percent chance of dying. That also means I have an eighty-six percent chance of living- I want to live the eighty-six percent right now!” A hunger for life comes from an eternal perspective and will feed the hunger of our culture looking for life- OUR GOD REIGNS! Stability & Security- I have a friend who works in finance and has every earthly reason to panic like his un-believing colleagues. This week I asked how I could pray for and encourage him and he said, “Please pray for my co-workers to ask me how I can remain calm when the markets are in turmoil. I want to share with them the security I have in the sovereignty of God.” My friend believes the headlines of heaven and is joining the chorus of salvation- OUR GOD REIGNS! I never thought I would say this but his feet are beautiful! (see 52:7) And so are all feet sharing the good news, publishing peace through proclaiming “Our God Reigns.” Feet stewarded for gospel proclamation show character and grit, communicating the urgency of a hopeful heart. Look again at the feet pictured above- Those feet belong to souls in SE Asia who are seeking to know and share the Good News. Media on Mission- Consider another friend, a mom, who used her social media to share the lyrics of the song of salvation. After sharing a joyful picture of her children on Instagram she offered a short reflection on having joy in all circumstances followed by an invitation for people to direct message her, to call to talk, and to pray. My mom friend believes the headline of heaven- OUR GOD REIGNS! And her beautiful feet are seen through inviting her followers to know the substance of the song- OUR GOD REIGNS! Peace or Panic? Lord, help us with our unbelief! Will the world witness secure hope in your heart and home? The grace of God awakens us and the person of God meets us, demonstrating the covenant faithfulness of the Lord to His promises. Our unchanging Lord Jesus rules over all that is seen and unseen (Colossians 1:15-20) so pick yourself up from the dust and despondency of the day and return to His love! The world needs to see a people who believe the Heavenly Headline, OUR GOD REIGNS! Your neighbors may not realize it, but they long to join the choir of Christians who sing the song of salvation with our lips and our lives. The banner of the Lord’s sovereignty will give peace to our homes and hope to our neighbors when we believe. SHARE HOPE! And when you find yourself face down in the dust of despondency realize the grace and person of God are inviting you to arise, awaken, and to join the chorus of God’s song of salvation- OUR GOD REIGNS! Jesus is on the throne, and He is making all things new. (Revelation 21:1-6) More Mercy. Comments are closed.
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