Coronavirus and Christ

Coronavirus and Christ
By: John Piper

A short and essential look at how God's words are truly living and still relevant today. No matter our circumstances we can't help but speak the words of Simon Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

I think the most important part of this book on this topic is that it is clear from the sheer number of Scripture verses inside its pages that Piper opened his Bible before he wrote a single sentence. He did not approach this book with his own set of ideas and opinions and then find verses to support them. God's words are surely the author and meat of this book. He says, "Scarcely a page in the Bible is irrelevant for this crisis." And he proceeds to prove that in all 112 truth-packed pages of his reflections.

He relates to us all when he talks about the sinking sand we are all faced with today. The sinking sand of playing the odds against this virus. The sinking sand of being isolated in our homes and having to decipher from regular and social media alike what is true and what is false. The sinking sand of fear and hopelessness. But he says, "There is a better way. There is a better place to stand: the Rock of certainty rather than the sand of probabilities."

And that certainty rests firmly in the sovereignty of God. The first half of the book delves into what this means and what the Bible says of God's sovereignty. By very definition, he is either sovereign over all (including COVID-19), or sovereign over nothing. We think we need to 'rescue' him when it comes to pain and suffering as if he needs us to defend his goodness- we think we need to excuse him from the things we don't like, that it couldn't possibly be God's doing. But "If we try to rescue God from his sovereignty over suffering, we sacrifice his sovereignty to turn all things for good." and "Knowing that the same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn't, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it. Indeed, more than sustains-- sweetens. Sweetens with hope that God's purposes are kind, even in death-- for those who trust him."

We rest in these words: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Gen 50:20)-- not "used" or "turned" it to good, but MEANT, implying original intent. God isn't just waiting to see how he can spin the bad things that happen. We don't have to cross our fingers and hope he's ready and able for it all. No, from the VERY BEGINNING, he is at work purposing things for good. That's true assurance. There is nothing outside of his control, therefore, we KNOW that he can make all things work together for good.

The second half is Piper answering the question, "What is God doing?" He quickly points out that compared to God's wisdom, [Piper's] (and our) opinion is worth nothing and that there are a billion things God is doing that we will never know this side of heaven, but nonetheless, God HAS spoken to us through his word. He is not silent about what he is doing in this world. He then lays out 6 observations about how to interpret what is happening right now.

I found his observation about physical pain being a representation for moral sin the most intriguing. "physical evil is a parable, a drama, a signpost pointing to the moral outrage of rebellion against God... Hardly anyone in the world feels the horror of preferring other things over God. Who loses any sleep over our daily belittling of God by neglect and defiance? But, oh, how we feel our physical pain!" Whether a follower of Jesus or not, we all need to recognize the ugliness of our sin and our need of Savior. Tragedy isn't a time to shake our fists at God but to fall at his feet and say, 'My sin is as terrible as every act of injustice and violence I see in the world. These things are a picture of my own rebellion against you.' It should drive us to repentance and refuge in the only One who can save us, not just from the Coronavirus, but from ourselves. It should not incite indignation at God but gratitude. It's an uncomfortable and maybe shocking thing to say but oh so necessary.

This book, though containing hard to hear truths, is full of hope! I came away actually kinda excited to think about what God is going to do next. Piper reminds us of how persecution and martyrdom in Acts advanced the gospel in momentous ways. God can use calamity, or a global pandemic, to position people exactly where he wants them to bring glory to his name. I can feel this anticipation of God orchestrating something so great and complex and unfathomable using this Coronavirus and it's exciting! Because nothing can thwart his plans. He WILL accomplish what he sets out to do, and we are all playing a part in it!

So trade in your sinking sand of probabilities and uncertainties for the Rock that is Christ and the security of his sovereign love. We are more than conquerors of the Coronavirus and every other thing that threatens us, even death, because of Christ's sacrifice for us. There is no better news than that!