Monday, May 18, 2020

We begin the second day of the new week in this fifth month of the  ongoing pandemic. As yet unabated, COVID-19’s numbers climb as more testing reveals more infections.  That portrait of the virus’ impact seems logical. But we live in illogical times. So it’s not surprising that veiled hints have casted aspersions upon testing as part of the solution. In a world turned upside down, the suggestion that less testing is a positive strategy because it results in less known infections seems a normal response. But we who give greater attention to God our Creator refute that thinking. We understand this is a battle beyond one of flesh and blood. This pandemic seeks to destroy not just our physical well-being, but our spiritual as well. To combat it we must as Ephesians 6 counsels, ” put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…” I think most of you will agree with me that “the day of evil” is upon us.

And so as we search for our weapons of vaccines and medications to combat the physical attacks of this evil, we go to our spiritual armory for the weapons to defeat the spiritual assault. Ephesians further  tells us to suit up by buckling the belt of Truth around our waist. Truth blocks the misleading statements of the uninformed, the ignorant and the proud. It shines light upon what is real and what is not.  In addition to our belt of Truth, we hoist our shield of Faith and in so doing extinguish the flaming arrows of fallacious assertions shot our way. We protect our minds by donning the helmet of Salvation, and grasping the sword of the Spirit which is our Bible, the holy word of God. Within its pages are divine words that counter fear, worry, anxiety, self-pity, depression, despair, and defeatism.  Finally, we humble ourselves and Pray. Prayer we know is our greatest weapon, the ultimate weapon against evil and its minions. For this is what this pandemic is-a minion of evil seeking to kill and destroy God’s beloved.

But we, His beloved, are not without our defenses. Our strength is found in the power of our Lord and Savior. So as He guides the research that will conquer the secular threat, He also reminds us that we already have what we need for victory over the spiritual threats. All we are required to do is partake of the spiritual cornucopia He’s given us,  and wait in peace as His work in the secular continues.

Love. Joy. Peace.