Coronavirus sermon

It’s March 22, 2020 and this week we have seen why God says over and over in the Bible- trust in me!

We have stood by and watched as the stock market crashed, doctors rushed for answers, politicians created reactive policies, supermarkets sat with empty shelves, and schools and business closed their Doors and turned away customers.....and in the midst of it all one verse sat in the cener of my heart-

English Standard Version Chapter 40

A voice says, “Cry!”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7  The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the LORD blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

8  The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

Wither- what a word. I have seen some withering before. I have seen flowers, and grass wither, I have seen markets and intentions wither, and I have seen men and women wither.

Some people have been stunned this week- stunned at the lack of control that has swept our nation. Can I be honest, the reaction to this health crisis reveals a lot about people’s hearts, if you ask me.

In the past weeks withering has looked like panic. It is running to the store and hording up goods; it is anger and selfishness towards others and disregarding the needs of those around you in order to fulfill your own. It is anxiety over “the fate of the world”

After all, when you pull the rug out from under someone’s god, their entire world starts to fall apart. The thing that held their entire security has just been reduced to rubble before their eyes, and they are in the midst of an existential crisis. When the market crashed the people who’s god is money have seen their god obliterated; when the government goes into shut down or tension the people who’s god is politics go in to crisis mode.

Friends, we must remember that for some people in the world the Coronavirus pandemic is not a pandemic because it is causing sickness, it is a pandemic because it is revealing the fallibility of their gods.

Withering…withering....withering....

But listen to the words of Psl 1

English Standard Version Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

2  but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

3  He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

4  The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

6  for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

How does one prevent withering- by being grounded in the Word of God. When we allow our hearts and our lives to take root in his word we are tapping into the source of life for our hearts.

We have all watched the past few weeks as people have flocked to the stores and grabbed up not just necessities for them to live like food and water, but novelties they do not want to be without if the stores close. I will confess to you that I went to Lowe’s on Monday and bought lumber, and supplies for a few projects we need to do around the house. My question is, have you flocked and turned to God in the same way?

There are three other verses in Isiah 40 I want us to ponder for just a few moments today.

v11- We serve a God who tends to his flock, church. He will not leave us nor forsake us, and he is always watching us. 2 weeks ago we had baby goats at our house. As you sit back and watch them, it is no secret who their mother is. When they are hungry- she allows them to nurse; when they need warmth she snuggles them up; When they venture too far she goes and finds them. A complete stranger could watch the for about 30 minutes and have no trouble figuring out who their momma is- because she is tending to her children, and her children are aware of their dependence on mom.

v21-22- The eye’s of our God are fully open, and he is watching. I think it is important for us to remember that the eye’s of God our bigger than ours, and that the vision of God is so much more encompassing. The Scriptures say he rolls out the heavens and Earth like a scroll and he sits over the people like grasshoppers. God is looking and God is seeing all that is taking place down here. This virus situation is happening, and we have a limited scope of understanding. We only see what is happening directly in our lives, and the rest is based on news reports and FB news! But God sees it all. You may only see the stories of the people selling all the TP they bought for 4X the price, or the story of the cashier who was hit in the face at Walmart- but God sees all of it. He sees the small child sending cards to the nursing home; He sees the family that is dropping diapers at the doorstep of the young mom- he sees it all. When we remember God is watching we can be encouraged to continue to do things that honor him.

Story of Church food pantry

v25-26. We serve a God who knows the stars by name- so it is safe to say he knows us by name too.

When we hear that 13,700 people have died from this virus- they are faceless and nameless to many of us- God knows them all. Trust the God who knows them by name

To the teacher wondering where that kid who is always so hungry will get their meals- trust the God who knows them by name

To the spouse or child who is wondering how your loved one is going to make it through quarantine in the nursing home. Trust the God who knows them by name

To the healthcare worker working tirelessly to provide care for your patients- trust the God who knows them by name.

We know the coronavirus by name- its name has been lifted high above this world for weeks now.

But we also know the name of Jesus- the name that is above every name! The most powerful name in heaven and Earth.

And God? God knows your name- every one of our names....