There seems to be two prevailing “C” words at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days…Conspiracy & COVID.
Conspiracy. Conspiracy theories abound on both sides of the political spectrum. No doubt, they can be exciting and intriguing, particularly when our present realities seem bleak. But truthfully, most conspiracy theorists are feeding off our fear and preying on our gullibility in desperate times. Sadly, most of them are more interested in being retweeted, gaining influence, or making money at the expense of our own personal uncertainty.
Here are a few things I think every believer should consider when navigating through the search for truth in these matters:
Romans 5:6 “…Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” God has perfect timing for everything He has appointed. We should never get ahead of what God wishes to reveal to us. He will tell us what we need to know in His time as we walk with Him in truth.
2 Timothy 1:7 "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Do not fear or focus on fear. God has called us to something better.
1 Timothy 1:4 “Don’t waste time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.” Stop focusing so much on earthly matters. Stay focused on the Gospel. We aren’t built for here. This world is passing away. The events here only point to the glory of Heaven that God is preparing for us through these times in which we live. Yes, it’s good for corruption to come to light, but it is not a necessary condition in order to live the Christian life, or for the Gospel to go forward. It is still possible to live a godly life, even if justice never happens. 2 Timothy 3:12 says “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
COVID. Sadly, children are growing up in life without in-school learning, without birthday parties, trips to the park or the movies, play dates, and sleepovers. Senior Citizens have been forced to live in fear and isolation, with the dreadful prospect of dying alone, and not even having the dignity of a proper burial or celebration of life service.
The handshake and hugging are becoming extinct, and virtual events are becoming the norm, further pushing people into isolation. There is an entire generation who is losing the art of personal interaction. Technology is contributing to that loss of personal interaction. At the touch of a button, you secure food orders, shopping, and other services, all at the loss of learning how to actually personally interact with a real person beyond two minutes.
In light of all this, may I suggest we move the two previous “C” words to the rear, and replace them with two better “C” words at the front…Christ and His Church.
First is Christ. Colossians 1:18 states that “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.” Jesus is “supreme over all.” He is at the top of it all, our thoughts, desires, theories, motives, and applications. Nothing is better, nothing is more, nothing is over Him, nothing will substitute for Him. He is the common thread that ties everything together. You can try to replace Him with other things, but only Jesus is enough…in the good and the bad. Jesus is not a guarantee for health, wealth, or only good times. He is a guarantee that you will never be without hope and will never be alone or abandoned, even in your darkest moment. He is a guarantee that everything in your life has meaning, and is bringing you to something better, and that is eternal glory with Him!
Second, His Church. His Church is a 52-week a year proposition. It is not a compartment suited to your needs. It is the reason you will grow in your faith. It is the reason you will live in accountability to others. It is the reason you will celebrate life’s greatest victories and milestones with people around you. It is the reason you won’t suffer, struggle, or toil alone. It is the reason you will sing, sacrifice, and serve together. It the reason you won’t die alone and that your spouse and kids will have someone standing beside them at your graveside marker after you’ve gone to be with Jesus forever in glory. And ultimately, when everything else falls, fails, and passes away, the Church will be the only entity left standing together with their victor Jesus.
If we don’t reconcile this truth, if we don’t fight and contend for these things together, we will never grow in our faith, we will always be held captive by the fears of this uncertain world, and we will always be thrown about by a shakable world, rather than standing on the unshakable Kingdom that was intended to be ours from the beginning and forever. Stand fast Church, hold the line, stay together, know that Jesus is enough, and know that His Church still matters!
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