This blog post is a real exchange that our Resources Editor, Kathryn Applegate, recently had with a friend about the nature of the coronavirus and the best practices that are recommended. We hope it can be a useful resource for you as you communicate with your community in love.
This post has great sources and links to data about the virus and its effects, definitely sharable with friends!
The worst part of COVID-19 is getting the call from your Dr that you have tested positive. The symptoms that you presented are suddenly secondary to immediate realization that you could very well have inadvertently spread this disease to those you have recently been in contact with. You could be responsible for spreading this virus, which behaves so differently from victim to victim. That’s the worst part, knowing that you may have passed this to someone you love.
At least that is how it was for me. I was one of the lucky ones who, after three weeks, now know I did not infect anyone else.
That’s the big deal about Covid, it power to hurt others.
Very well put. That’s also a great window you gave me into understanding how Dr Fauci has felt all along–wanting to minimize damage to the “least of these.”
Thanks.
I have often heard, and have experienced this myself, of loved ones wishing they could bear the burden of disease and share the pain and to give a better chance at recovery. The way that coronavirus has been working reminds me of John 10:18, when Jesus says that he lays down his life of his own accord. For some of us, social distancing, wearing masks, and choosing virtual relationships and everything that goes with the lifestyle, will have very few rewards or consequences if at all. Taking no precautions, we have the potential to spread COVID to someone vulnerable, who could then introduce it to a vulnerable population. Whether it is our loved ones, or the loved ones impacted accidentally beyond our awareness, we wish we could share the burden of those who are suffering. Masks and social distancing measures are our collective opportunity to do just that, and for many of us, it is an opportunity to lay aside our comforts of our own accord.
We are hoping that you are well again!
The sad thing about all this with COVID, is that there is more fear, attention, talk and action about it then there is about sin. That is to be expected in an sinful world but it is still sad to see. Instead of a consistent call to repentance and faith and obedience to God it’s, COVID, COVID COVID.
I know there are some voices out there proclaiming repentance but not so much from our governing leaders.
I see God using this as He has other such situations throughout human history, giving humanity a chance to see their frailty and to humble ourselves before Him.
My trust is in the Lord, from Him alone comes my help.
@Cody_G, how do you see the governing leaders responsible for proclaiming repentance, and how is the response to COVID separate than addressing sin? I don’t disagree with you, I just have generally not seen satisfactory discussions about it myself. The calls to repentance I’ve seen are under the assumption that COVID must be bringing about the end times since the American church has been inconvenienced, or that we need to repent from unbiblical ideologies or from idolizing world leaders, each of which can be applied to any side of the spiritual or political spectrum and are usually found in a specific context of one of these.
Some very good discussions have happened, and I think that generally a strong theology of lament has emerged. Also, this situation has brought out how willing we are to act on our biblical applications, such as wearing masks to protect the vulnerable. When the lockdowns began last spring, to me there seemed to be several ways of demonstrating biblical principles to the world, but I realized that many Christians just saw restrictions to their liberties. This year, we’ve had to act on our biblical understanding in new ways, as well as applying that to our right to vote as citizens (in the United States, anyway). Since this biblical application has been so visible, many have been propelled to learn how to speak graciously and listen well, to be biblical interlocutors.
Amen!
In my interaction with my customers (as they are the ones I have the most contact with throughout the day) I bring up COVID as a starting point to speak of Jesus. I point out that it’s not the number of deaths that impresses on me God’s involvement but how it has brought a level of disruptive chaos into much of the world. Some people’s hearts are filled with fear of death; others are haughty that it won’t affect them. Sometimes the fear of death can cause a person to humbly seek God but others in their stubborn and unrepentant heart will not repent, but the Lord is still at work bring salvation to those who call on Him.
I point out that there is an increased level of economic chaos in much of the world. God uses this to turn some to Him by tearing down their gods of money, possessions, jobs, entertainment exedra. He can use it to convict some that these idols are false and have no power to save from death and sin. Some will repent and others will continue to put their hope and trust in them.
God did these types of things throughout Israel’s history and not just Israel but the surrounding nations also. In His mercy He does what is needed to show humanity that faith in anything other than Him is like building your house on sand. The storms of life will come and your house (life) will be destroyed.
All our hope and trust should be placed in what the Father did for us through the cross of Christ. Through it we have died to this world and to sin. We are raised to life; our spirits have been recreated, born again. 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” For those children of God who have become drowsy and have allowed the deception of this present time to draw them away from a total commitment to Jesus, God can use this to wake them up and remind them that this life is temporary and there is coming a day of judgment for all. If believers fall back into a love of this present life and turn back to all the false gods that the world trusts in, it’s like a dog returning to its vomit. As it says in Heb 10:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
COVID and all that it has brought has become a present trial to bring judgment or an act of discipline to the children of this age and to the Father’s children. He will use it as a catalyst to help bring people who are willing to be humbled by it to the cross of Christ and through that, bring death to sin and this world and resurrection to eternal life. 1 Peter 1:24"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,” but those who put all their trust in Jesus will be saved. We are saved by dying with Christ and rising to life with Him. Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Jesus is Lord! He is everything to the Father and must be everything to us. If He is truly our Lord then nothing in all His creation can lord itself over us. Not sin, Satan, man, nothing, for all power in heaven and earth belongs to Jesus and no one or anything is our Lord beside Him.
For freedom sake, Christ has set me free.
This is the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is what I proclaim to the people I come in contact with.
COVID and all the things it has brought is just one thing the Father uses to humble humanity. COVID is not the end of this present age; Christ’s return will bring that. I look to Heaven from which my salvation comes.
All glory, honor, power and dominion belong to Him who sets on the throne and unto the Lamb.
In reference to our leaders not calling us to repent and call out to God, I really dont expect it. But God often in the scriptures rebuked Israel’s leaders for not walking in humility and righteousness. If those who govern are evil and unrepentent, they will lead many away from God. Instead of repentance, it is a bunch of self loving, self confident, "We can get through this if we all work together. " Not, "God have mercy on us, show us mercy in your judgements. "
Fortunately my case was mild, although I have been completely without any sense of smell or taste for three weeks.
Agreed!
In some cases, “We can get through this if we work together,” isn’t necessarily self-confident or self-loving. It’s simply what we need to do, it’s a common grace where humans made in the image of God are suffering and humans made in the image of God know something must be done, whether or not we understand that it is a response created by God. We don’t need to spend so much time looking at our differences and trying to get theology right before we decide if or how we should care for people and mobilize others to care for people, lest we do nothing at all. We learn and adapt as we go, and as you said, full of prayer asking God for wisdom and mercy. In the process, as you are doing, we can have conversations, we can share that we are responding because of Who our God is, and that’s wonderful that you have the opportunity to do that!
The point I am making is that without faith it is impossible to please God, that’s all. All that mankind does outside of faith, love and obedience to God has no eternal value for them. As the scripture says, " All our righteousness is as filthy rags". Mankind’s good deeds and faith in themselves does not bring honor to God. Seeing the unmerited favor that God has shown us through the cross of Christ and what Jesus went through to save us from sin and the Devil is a consistent reminder that mankind in themselves are lost and slaves to sin. And that God deserves all the glory, honor, love and trust. If we don’t do what we do in love for the Father, then our works are vain. Though they may help others, if we don’t do them from faith in the Father, they are filthy rags.
Those who love the Father and live their lives for Him are offering up an acceptable sacrifice but those who do good but disown the Father, their lives are not acceptable to God. As Abel’s offering was acceptable and Cain’s was not. The scripture says, “the plowing of the wicked is sin”, even our labor is sin before the Father if not done in faith. Our whole existence is vanity, worthless if not lived for the Father. The necessity to understand what humanity is like without faith and love for God is necessary to help God’s children to know how to help them. To understand what the cross of Christ did for those who place all their trust in it is necessary so that we can have a trusting, righteous and loving relationship with the Father.
At all times, in all ways, Christ is our life. Let us live our lives in such a way before the unbelievers, that they will see our good works and glorify the Father in Heaven. We must testify of Jesus because the world will not. They glory in their shame, in self, in the things of this world. We glorify Jesus and the Father.
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Just came across this fellow who seems to have quite a bit to say about what the big deal is with COVID. I’d be interested in hearing if those with better understanding of the science agrees with his points about how badly this has been handled and what the price will be going forward. My lay opinion is that it is probably largely correct. This came out three days ago.
The speaker identifies himself as a writer from Canada with some but not serious science chops. So I’m not sure if there are obvious holes in what he is saying or if the situation is as dire as described.
Indi Samarajiva is a writer (obviously). I was born in Canada, grew up in America, and studied Cognitive Science at McGill University in Montreal. I now live in Colombo, Sri Lanka with my wife, two kids, and a misbehaved beagle.
The level of vitamin D can be assessed for the prognosis of COIVD-19 patients and help to modify the treatment protocol. Appropriate therapeutic/preventive intervention of vitamin D can alter the course and severity of COVID-19.
International Journal of General Medicine » Volume 14
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Prevalence of Low Level of Vitamin D Among COVID-19 Patients and Associated Risk Factors in India – A Hospital-Based Study
Are you a doctor?
I am a psychiatrist. Dockar Ralphael T.T. Bensoni III. I healed a guy who loved his dog once. How? I said, “Hey you! Are you crazy? What’s the matter with you? Don’t love your dog. Are you mental or something? What’s wrong with you? Huh? Stop it. Don’t love your dog!” Boom, like that. He’s a new man.
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” -Colossians 4:6
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