A Christian Response to the Coronavirus

The Rev. Canon Dr. Dan Alger

I have been encouraged by a few friends to share some thoughts on an appropriate Christian response to this current chaotic moment as our global community deals with the corona virus pandemic. To that end, I pray these words are a guide and an encouragement for those who are Christian while you navigate this confusing time. For those of you who are not Christians, I hope that this behind the scenes look at the church will give you insight into the love of Christ and how Christians are meant to live in light of our faith.

1. Do Not Fear.

Take comfort in the fact that our God is sovereign. He has not abandoned us, nor has he been caught by surprise. Anxiety can creep up on us when our normalcy is shattered and it seems as though the narrative of our lives is out of our control. Here’s the good news: your control was always an illusion. You haven’t lost anything. In the Bible, God reminds us over and over not to fear due to the fact that he is good, he is capable, and he will always be with us (Matthew 28:20). It is fine to take precautions, it is advisable to listen to the counsel of medical/government professionals, it is perfectly normal to be confused, but friends, we need not fear. Our God is still in control.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:1-3)."

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39)

2. Be Concerned.

Not fearing does not mean being without concern. Paul himself said that he was eaten up with concern for the welfare of the churches; “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? (2 Corinthians 11:28,29).” We can be concerned for the church, for the very young, for the elderly, for our nation, for the world, for the economy. Being without fear does not mean being without care. In fact, as Christians we should care deeply and feel deeply. When we hear statistics of low death rates, our hearts should break over any death, not rejoice that it is only a few. Paul praises Jesus for the recovery of his friend Epaphroditus, alluding to the fact that the church in Philippi was deeply concerned for Epaphroditus’s sickness and that Paul would have experienced “sorrow upon sorrow” if he had not recovered. As the church, our concern for the plight of others should be significantly greater than our thankfulness that it is not we ourselves who are currently ill.

3. Be People of Praise, Prayer, and Peace.

In light of the fact that God is sovereign, he provides, he heals, and he is with us, we have a foundation that cannot be shaken. In light of our hope in the Gospel, Paul tells us that we can react very differently from those who do not share this confidence. He says,

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).”

Rejoice. Reasonableness. Do not be anxious. Prayer. Thanksgiving. Supplication. These are the responses of the Christian no matter the circumstances. Paul promises that as we face these days in this manner we will have a “peace that passes understanding.” Our peace does not have to make sense in light of all the reasons for anxiety. Our peace is a gift from God that is not based on current circumstances, rather it is founded on the unchanging, consistent, goodness of God. That’s also why we do not waver in our worship- not because all continues to be grand, but because God persists to be good.

Pray for the world, your neighbor, your loved ones, your enemies, your self. Christians stand in the gap for a world in need. Do we believe that God is greater than biology? Then let us wrestle in prayer for the world who needs him.

O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of men; that you would be pleased to make your ways known to them, your saving health to all nations. More especially we pray for your holy Church universal, that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and deliverance out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen. - 2020 Anglican Book of Common Prayer

4. Be Aware of Our History.

The Church has gone through this before. In no way does stating this truth diminish the significance or uniqueness of today’s struggle, nor does it minimize the impact on individuals affected by coronavirus. It is, however, reassuring to know that our current situation is not without precedent. The church has survived and flourished through even deadlier times such as the Plague of Justinian, the Black Plague, Smallpox, the Spanish Flu, Yellow Fever, Ebola. We are not the first Christians to face such a day. Perspective in a time of uncertainty is important.

5. Know Grace and Have Grace.

We need to have enduring patience and quick forgiveness during this time. People are afraid, the economy is shaken, the media coverage is relentless, the statistics are disturbing. Empty grocery store shelves evoke a primary concern over scarcity of food. People may not be at their best right now and that effects their decisions, their driving, their speech, their actions, everything. Let’s be be faster to forgive than to fight. Also, have grace with yourself, you are going to have moments of weakness- that does not indicate a dysfunctional faith, but rather a reminder that our faith is built on the need for a Savior. At the core of our faith is the grace gifted to us from Jesus- a free gift, undeserved. In this moment of application of our faith, let us not forget the foundations of faith: grace in the forgiveness of our sins. Turn to Jesus and be comforted so that you may comfort others.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:19).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3,4).

6. Run To, Not From

Jesus went to the lepers, the lame, the outcasts. “I’m not Jesus,” you say. Yes, but if you are a Christian you are his body and your life should be lived in imitation of him. We do not run from others out of self-preservation, we run to them to bring them healing and comfort. Yes, proper social distancing is appropriate. Yes, being intentional in how we interact with others is wise and, in itself, loving. At the same time, we do not serve only when there is no risk to ourselves. What we don’t do is abandon our neighbors and community in a time of need. Who is vulnerable? Who is suffering economically? Who needs to be reassured, fed, checked on? How can we help them, love them, encourage them? This is our moment as Christians, this is where we learn from the example of our ancestors who went into the cities suffering from the Black Death while others scrambled to get out. We need to take the same care to be intentional about remaining connected as we are taking in remaining apart.

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean (Mark 1:40,42).”

7. Be Generous.

While we are intentional about engaging, let’s be generous as we do so. Let’s hold loosely our time, our money, our efforts. Check on your neighbors. When others are hoarding toilet paper, let’s give ours away to make sure others have what they need. Don’t stop giving to your churches and ministries- Sunday services may need to be suspended, but the church still has vital ministry to perform. Don’t, whether out of fear or forgetfulness, stop giving your money to your church, missionaries, and mission work. Our giving is not based upon what we receive, but on what we are commanded to do and on what we have commitment to. If we believe that God is our provider and our safety, this is the time that we must show it.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people (Acts 2:44-47).

8. Don’t Over-Spiritualize This Moment.

Slow down. Take a breath. A pandemic does not mean God is fed up with the current state of American politics, or the morality of our country, or [insert your personal vendetta here], and is casting down his judgement. Besides being extremely ethnocentric, this kind of thinking is simply not in line with our biblical worldview. Also, exclaiming end time prophecies are neither helpful, nor warranted. Refer back to number four.

But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only (Matthew 24:36).

…charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:3-5).

9. Don’t Under-Spiritualize This Moment.

God is not distant in the midst of struggle, nor is our faith suspended during such a time. We can implement strategies and precautions without considering our decisions through the lens of our faith. Don’t demote faith to simple inspiration that fades during times of crisis; something that can be set down when the going gets tough and picked up again in calmer times when we need soothing. Rather let our faith be the reality that dominate our hearts and minds. Also, there will be many who have spiritual questions such as, “Where is God in this? Why would he let this happen? If God answers prayers, why are people we are praying for getting sick?” These are not questions without answers, nor do the answers erode the foundations of the Christian faith. These are legitimate questions, and although they are outside the scope of this short writing, I am happy to engage anyone who has such questions directly. I pray that all Christians will not be afraid of such questions, and will be willing to tend to the spiritual needs of our neighbors just as we are willing to share our toilet paper.

In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

10. Be Disciplined.

A pandemic does not have to lead to pandemonium. Your normal schedule has been blown up. Ok, so readjust, think clearly, and bring order to the chaos. There are certain activities that you may need add or avoid during a time like this. Perhaps you need to stop watching the Walking Dead and reading the Passage until your emotions are under control. Don’t feed the frenzy. Be intentional about reading the unchanging Word of God. Be disciplined about prayer and fasting. If your weekly church services have been called off, that does not mean that worship has been cancelled. Engage the liturgy, pray the Daily Office, connect with friends via video or phone to pray together. Read the Psalms. Sing along with hymns and songs on YouTube. Whatever form it takes, be disciplined to worship. In the midst of extreme fluctuations in schedule, be aggressive in intentionally pursuing actions and behaviors that will lead to flourishing rather than frustration and fatigue.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8,9).

11. Rest and Reconnect

Sports are delayed, travel cancelled, meetings postponed, school scrubbed. Take advantage of this time to rest. Sleep a little later if you can. Play boardgames in the evenings. Reconnect as a family. Unplug the screens, put down your phones. Don’t stare at the news repeating the same information in endless loops. Pray together. Go to bed earlier. Take walks. Don’t fill up your empty schedule with meaningless fluff. Use this time wisely and don't squander it. If you know others who are alone, find ways to make sure they are not.

12. Have Hope.

Christians believe that Jesus and his church win in the end. I assure you that he is not currently panicking, worried that the coronavirus could unexpectedly derail the course of history that he has set in motion. In Colossians, Paul reminds us of the preeminence of Jesus by saying, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent (Colossians 1:16-18).” He created everything, he holds everything together, and our great hope as Christians rests securely in the fact that he has promised to return to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). There will come a day when Jesus will restore creation to its original goodness, without sin, without sickness, without death. The Restoration to come is the conclusive vaccine, the supreme sanitizer, the ultimate healthcare provision. Until that day, we groan, we long, we grieve, we suffer in a fallen world, but we do not do so as people without hope.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12).

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).

“‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well'” Lady Julian of Norwich