This morning we had a contractor stop by to calculate and give us a quote for some maintenance that needs to be done in the house. I’m at home, booked off because it’s finally my turn to get Covid-19, but by God’s grace I’m not very sick and trying to catch up on work at the dining room table.
As the contractor comes in through the front door with my husband, he starts talking about what a big Christian he is and I can only assume he saw the cross by the front door. I have a total of two crosses up around the house – the one from stone at the front door, and another tiny one in the living room. I got both as gifts and to me, it’s more important to live a life that testifies of Christ in me, than to put up outward “signs” to tell others that I’m a Christian. At the same time, while these two crosses have some sentimental value, I also keep them up because I like them and I’m not ashamed of what they represent.
As they sit down at the other end of the dining room table to calculate and write out the quote, the contractor continues to talk about his deep spirituality and asks if he can share a personal testimony. His story starts with his divorce and how he lost custody of his two sons, and how he sought Jesus Christ and found Him revealed in the Bible. I’m impressed with all the Scripture that he quotes, and as he keeps talking I’m both subconsciously and consciously weighing his words and measuring it according to what I know to be in the Word. (I don’t suppose to know everything or to judge others’ spiritual journey as if I’m better or more spiritually mature than others; I will be the first to say that I can learn a whole lot from anyone else! But not weighing and measuring it against what I know from Scriptures is irresponsible – we need to use discernment and test what others say against the Bible.)
Long story short, I think he spent half an hour or more talking about a variety of spiritual things and in his words, testifying to what God has showed him. Some of it has merit and was quite insightful, but some of his statements… not so much. I’ll get to those in a minute. I do believe he has a living relationship with Christ and that he’s sincere in his faith. As my husband put it, “his heart is in the right place, but some of what he said was just sad.”
One of the things he pointed out was how he’s not scared of the Corona virus and he rejects the wearing of masks for a few reasons he mentioned. I’m not sure if he knew I’m currently sick on the other side of the table, and whether he could see the heap of medicine boxes right next to me (slightly hidden behind an ornament). He mentioned the example of how Jesus touched the 10 lepers who had a contagious disease and didn’t get infected Himself. He made some comments about death and other conditions that I’m not going to mention.
Let me start by saying this: I agree that we shouldn’t fear Covid-19. I believe with my whole heart that Jesus Christ is more powerful than any virus, any government, science… all of it.
And yet I also believe that He gave us science as a gift to make sense of the world. I believe that my current diagnosis of Covid-19 is a gift because I have already seen so many good things come of my past 2 days at home. I am extremely lucky that I’m not as sick as what many other people have been, and I will never think to be “better than” others or more “blessed” simply because I have it so lightly. God only knows why I have been spared the horrible sickness that many others, including my loved ones, have experienced in the past two years.
And, this is specifically in reaction to something the contractor said this morning, I don’t believe that God’s children will not or should not get sick or die from Covid. Jesus Himself said that “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The family members that I lost to Covid-19 during last year loved Jesus dearly, and not for a single moment can I think that they died because they didn’t have enough faith, or didn’t love Jesus enough, or was overcome by the enemy. We will always miss them and we will always want them with us, but I believe with all my heart that when their time came, Jesus Himself came and picked them up to take them to be with Him. Shortly after a dear grandfather in our family died of Covid-19 last year, I heard the song “Well Done” by The Afters, and as the song played, I pictured that this was precisely how he was welcomed Home at his passing.
The times when I have been sick, or the physical ailments I feel on my body, makes me remember how much I need Jesus. I believe that complete, supernatural healing is possible in Jesus’ Name, and I know that “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). This is completely true.
I believe that the healing Jesus brought is far more than bodily healing. He came to heal our souls, our spirits, and our bodies. The complete verse says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Is. 53:5-6, KJV). It speaks about our spiritual condition of sin – transgressions and iniquities – and what we needed – peace and healing. For sure, Jesus brought healing to our physical bodies, too, but what’s far more important is that He brings healing to the desperate condition of our souls.
Sometimes, God chooses to do a miraculous healing of our illnesses; other times He uses science (which He created) and the knowledge & wisdom He gave to the medical professionals; and other times, He sees how He can use even the most heartbreaking deaths due to illness for good. I will never claim to know why He allows some people to get sicker than others, why some people died all alone in a hospital bed without any family around them, or why some don’t get sick at all. But I am not God, and it’s not for me to explain it. “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to Face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12, ESV).
We cannot understand everything now; but one day, we will see it clearly. If we can keep believing that God is good, that He loves us more than we can even understand, and that He can work everything for good, then I believe we can live a full life with Jesus here on earth, despite all that can happen, and have that relationship extended the day when we are reunited with Him in the afterlife.
Life isn’t always what we want it to be. Pain is part of our experience here on earth. But that’s what make us long for our future with Him in eternity – where there is no sickness, no death, no tears. We have a hope of an everlasting life full of everything good, because we will be with Him, and He is immeasurably GOOD.
Blessed Beyond Measure 