Back in March on a Saturday morning, I received a phone call from a former Advent Christian pastor who now serves as a director in a major hospital. He called to encourage our pastors to take COVID-19 seriously. He shared with me that this virus is very contagious and unless a vaccine is found, most of us would get the virus. He stressed the need to act responsibly and to limit our contact and exposure. I took him seriously, shared that with our churches and took action in my own life to act wisely. This past week, my wife and I have faced the possibility of one or both of us possibly having the virus. The uncertainty of what this might mean and how sick we might get has weighed on our minds as we wait on the test results (plus the fact that we are separated by 350 miles). To say we lived this week in fear would be incorrect. There has been a peace in the midst of this storm knowing that God is in control but there has been a huge question mark of what might be coming. This uncertainty has been on my mind since that Saturday in March. We don’t know what is coming or how this is going to change our lives and even the world. However, we do know who is in control and that he knows all things!

The disciples faced fear many times, even when Jesus was with them. Following Jesus’ resurrection before he had appeared to them, they gathered in the upper room (John 20:19). The doors were shut for fear of the Jews, then Jesus came and stood in their midst. First they realized they had good reason to gather and be fearful of the Jews, but they had heard Jesus was alive. The fact that Jesus was alive did not change the circumstances, but it did change the future. They were still in a hostile world where their lives were threatened by both the Jews and the Romans, but the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead just as he said he would, confirmed their faith and changed the future for the world.

Today, we face uncertainty in our world but the fact that God is in control and our future is secure in him and his promises are our strong hold. Karen and I rest in those promises and our security through our faith in Christ. I pray that you have that security and that you are able to rest in the arms of Jesus.

Psalm 46:10-11:

“‘Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.”