In the past several days, I have been just pondering the effect of this “corona virus pandemic” on our community. For our safety, the government has imposed the closure of so many things. These closures have included restaurants, churches, and public gatherings of all sorts, even weddings and I am barely scratching the surface.
These actions, along with some of our own self-quarantine, can be kind of difficult. It also is an excellent opportunity for the adversary if we are not careful. After all, he is a predator, and what do predators do? They isolate their pray from the heard to make them an easier target. Peter warned us about him and gave us some advice to help defend against his attacks.
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Peter’s of the devil is not to be taken lightly, but neither is his reminder to be sober-minded and alert. To me, that is a mind focused in prayer and God’s Word. But it is easy to lose focus without fellowship. It is easy to feel alone in those circumstances. The writer of Hebrews reminded us that we needed that as well.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
From the world’s perspective, I spend a lot of time alone, since I went on disability. But am I really alone? Well, this past week, it did feel a bit worse, so I had to step back and take stock of things.
Real Impact
The Covid-19 virus has, under government mandate, required some significant changes, and these changes are affecting people’s livelihood.
I was speaking with a dear friend last night, and he has been forced to close his business for two weeks, and then they would reevaluate the situation. He could be forced to stay closed for months if the virus continues to grow.
It is a difficult time for my friend. It is his family’s only source of income. He has some reserves, but they are limited.
We talked about prayer as our most powerful tool and the need to pray for each other in difficult times and not just to pray but consider scriptures as we pray. I shared two that I like when times are tough, but we are quite far apart in time zones, and we had to cut our conversation short, but I did not stop thinking about my friend… and this issue of isolation.
Jesus Calms the Sea
One of the passages that I shared with my friend came from Mark. It was the story of Jesus calming the storm at sea. It is found in Matthew 8 and Luke 8 as well, but I like Mark’s version the best… I am not sure why. I cannot help but see myself in this discussion sometimes.
Mark 4:35-41 (ESV)
Jesus Calms a Storm
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
This storm was a great calamity to the disciples. The wind was blowing hard enough to help fill the boat with water. The boat was being thrown about enough so that the disciples were pretty much terrified.
When they woke Jesus, they did not approach him with that fear alone, but with fear and anger in their words. They said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” and what was Jesus’ response? “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” and the sea was calm. He then turned to the disciples and left them with a question: He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
My Ah-Ha Moment
As I read Mark 4:35-41 over and over this morning, one thing was clear about the disciples who did not honestly believe that Jesus was God. They might have thought that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, but they did not fully understand that He was God. I am sure they had moments when they were more confident than others, but at this time, I think they may not have fully grasped it. After all, Moses’ prophecy from Deuteronomy said he would be like Moses…
Deuteronomy 18:15 (ESV)
15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
And if Jesus was like Moses, He needed to be up doing something amazing to protect the boat from sinking. Something like Moses did when the Red Sea was parted. The phase that gets me is verse 40. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
I must admit that there have been times when things got dark, and I can find myself responding to God with fear and anger. It is far less frequent now, but it still does happen if I allow my emotions to take control. If I were in that boat with the twelve I am not sure how I might have reacted.
Picture the Scene
Just think about what these twelve guys were experiencing. The storm is about to swamp their boat. The wind is so strong that the sea is tossing the boat about, and these twelve guys are topside soaking wet and tired from just holding on, and Jesus, who they are pretty sure could save them if he would just get up and do something, was sleeping below deck.
These guys finally work up enough courage to wake Jesus and, in frustration, lash out at him to save them.
I can see Jesus looking about before he says the three words that Mark documented, “Peace! Be still!” and then he looked at his disciples and, with an air of disappointment says, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”.
Mulling It Over
Just thinking about the experience that the disciples had, I can understand their fear. Yes, they knew Jesus was the Messiah, but I could see how it would be difficult to grasp the whole concept of Jesus as God. He was supposed to be one like Moses. But they had seen him do a lot of amazing miracles, BUT calm a storm with three words… that was amazing and harboring on the side of impossible. All of the Gospel accounts document their fear. Mark and Luke say nearly the same thing.
Mark 4:41
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Matthew added a word that caused me to pause.
Matthew 8:27
27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Matthew added the word “man” in his description of Jesus.
They were shaken by what Jesus did, but not by what he said. They were moved by His calming the storm, but no one noted his disappointment in their faith. There was one other thing that tore at my heart when I realized it, and it was the need to see action for Jesus.
Action Please
When I realized that the disciples were angry because they could not see Jesus doing anything, there was this guilt and humbling that came over me. Jesus was there in the boat with them. They had this expectation of what had to happen. Because it did not occur, as they thought it should, they were frightened to the point of anger.
They had seen Jesus work miracles, and they were sure he could save them from dying if he would just do something. They could not fathom that His presence with them in the boat, regardless of their circumstances, was sufficient. In their mind, Jesus was letting them down.
But Jesus was there. He was with them, and He was not going to allow them to perish. Like most trials in our lives, he does not remove the obstacle or eliminate the pain, but he does assure us that he will get us through it.
The disciples were just like we are so often. It is not enough to simply trust that the Holy Spirit is with us in a trial. We need to see action within our timeline. Just like the disciples who could not wait on Jesus, we often cannot wait either without becoming frightened or doubtful. But as believers, we are not alone.
God’s Promises
We know that there will be trials. They can be any number of things from health to finances. They are often the same trials the world will experience, like this Covid-19 Virus or Corona Virus, which has the potential to affect both health and finances while isolating people with this forced self-quarantine. The issue might be the same, but how we face it is different. We have the promises of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us through the hard times. We have the Gospel. We have God’s Word.
We know that we can find comfort and encouragement in the Bible. Yesterday it was Psalms 121 and 91. Today it was Romans 8.
Romans 8:18+
As I continued to study, I thought of Romans 8. For me, it is a very encouraging chapter in Romans. I just started reading, and when I got to verse 18, I was forced to pause. I read this verse and followed through verse 25.
Romans 8:18-25 (ESV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Paul reminded me that the pain and trials of this life pale in comparison to the glory of salvation. He told me that all of creation suffers under this bondage of sin, but we have this hope that we hold onto, and with that hope, we can endure; But not on our own, but with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26+
The Holy Spirit is with us always and, in our weakness, even helps us with our prayers.
Romans 8:26 (ESV)
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
He intercedes for us because he knows us he is in us.
Romans 8:27-30 (ESV)
27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
We are not alone! We have the Holy Spirit, and the thing is, so do other believers. And in that body of believers, we have God.
God’s Everlasting Love
In all this, we are the body of Christ, and Jesus is the head of the body. Nothing can stand against us. I like how Paul put it in verses 31-39.
Romans 8:31-39 (ESV)
God’s Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What more can I say?
Closing Thoughts
This morning’s study seemed to take the wind out of my sails. I really cannot think of much else than what Paul said at the end of Chapter 8 in Romans except possibly this one thing from Peter…
It is the warning I mentioned earlier.
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
A Lion seeks to split the weak from the herd to make them an easier target. With this self-quarantine, the physical part of that is done for him. Do not allow that physical isolation to become emotional as well. Keep in touch with one another. I know I am the worst at that… but I guess I am going to have to change my ways. We do need to “stir up one another to love and good works.”(Heb.10:24) We all do have phones.
Prayer
Father give us the strength to stand on your Word. Help us to stay connected. Help us to remember that we are never alone when we have you, Lord. Help us not forget to share the Gospel in and out of season. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen