Global Pan(dem)ic & a Sound Faith (Part 3): A 5-Day Security CheckExemplo

When my friend asked me what God might be saying to us through COVID-19, I was scheduled to leave the next day for a region not yet exposed to (or more accurately, not tested for) the contagious new virus. By the time I returned, the world had indelibly changed. God opened up a seat and enabled me to catch the last flight home before South Africa banned all travel for non-citizens.

During my travel, I wrote a list of 25 tests for the quality of my Christian faith: some theological, some psychological and others philosophical. Many are subsumed under the three “checks”—identity, maturity and security—we’ve discussed.

I also wrote in my notebook: “I am in it. I don’t know if I have it. Or how long I have. But we are all in it and don’t know if we have it or how long we have.” Upon arrival in Dallas, passengers were greeted by CDC health personnel. One officer took my health declaration form and said, “You have traveled to a country experiencing an outbreak and are at higher risk. Watch for symptoms and take your temperature twice a day.” I did just that while petitioning God for protection over me, my family and friends, and the rest of the world.

We are unable to directly right the wrong situation we are experiencing externally. However, with the incredible spiritual resources God provides, we can certainly right what could be wrong within us. Let us have our identity confined only to what God says is true about us, our maturity refined by the real troubles around us, and our security defined by what God offers as enough right now and forever.

We adapted this plan from another resource. To read the entire article, click here or learn more from Dr. Ramesh Richard here.