April 2020
Having become used to all the wonderful benefits of today’s
medical skill it has come as an unpleasant surprise to find that a tiny virus
can bring such chaos, fear, financial ruin, suffering and death. We can’t blame the virus: this little string
of RNA is just doing what it knows best, reproducing itself as fast as it can,
and doing it rather successfully. And if
there is nothing beyond the material world, as some assert, then there’s no-one
to blame, except the politicians who always get the blame.
But if like me you believe that this world is created and
ruled by a loving God then you may be perplexed or angry. Why would God allow a virus to do this to us?
Actually, the same Bible that shows us God’s love says so
much more about him, and gives us many reasons why his world is full of
suffering and futility. Here’s just one
of them: Since we must all one day give an account of ourselves to God our
impartial judge, everything in our lives that reminds us of our frailty and
mortality brings, along with the pain and the tears, a healthy prompt to stop
thinking that this life is all that matters.
Everything that vexes us is also a kind reminder from our Creator to be
ready to meet him. Even as we look at
the stern face of sickness we need to see the warm heart of a rescuing Lord who
longs for our hard heart to soften towards him.
And we certainly can’t accuse God of keeping his distance
and avoiding all our trouble. In his
Son, God came to us, became one of us, suffered with us and then ended Death’s
proud boast once for all. However
strange Easter will be this year I trust that we will once again be reminded
that everyone whose confidence is in Jesus Christ will share fully in Christ’s
resurrection victory. “The punishment
that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah
53:5)
Jesus laid down his life for his friends, rescuing those
who put their trust in him and giving us the best ever example of the kind of
selflessness that is going to be needed as we try to help each other through
this severe trial.
May God bless you this Easter
Graham Burrows