Disease, sickness, pandemic, death– all of this can cause a person to tremble and fear. It brings about a sense of urgency in our lives even leading many to a very unhealthy sense of panic. It’s hard to comprehend that something invisible like a virus can bring about such a wide variety of reactions among the multitudes. It can stir thoughts and emotions in us that we’ve never experienced before. And normally that leads to a wide variety of questions. “Why?” “How long?” “What next?” These are things the world continues to ask in days like these.
Asking God these types of questions is not necessarily a bad thing. It doesn’t make you any less spiritual to ask God questions about matters pertaining to life. David, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, et al. posed similar questions to God out of a genuine concern for the well-being of themselves and their people. But, in asking God questions we need to keep the proper perspective. In other words we don’t need to go overboard and begin telling God what’s right / not right; fair / not fair; etc. And we certainly need to be careful not to begin telling God how things “ought to be.” To do so is to cross the line from concern to pride.
Besides the “why, how long, what next” type of questions, I believe there is a more important and specific issue at hand. More than anything else we have a great lesson to learn from all the suffering and madness that is taking place during this pandemic. I believe more than anything else people need to consider the brevity of life. We are only here on this earth for a very short time. Life is but a vapor (Psalm 39:5; James 4:14). We will not get a second chance to live our lives in this world. While those who have trusted in Christ alone for eternal salvation will dwell with Him forever in a new heaven and a new earth, no one will dwell in this life again. When you cross the threshold of death you will never return to life as you know it in the here and now.
One of the greatest passages for us to focus on during this pandemic is Psalm 90:12. “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Spurgeon said of this verse: “Here is heavenly arithmetic; an application of numeration seldom thought of even by the wise. May we, during the next year, so measure our time, that we may apply our hearts to Jesus, who is the true wisdom.”
Christians and non-Christians alike should have this verse at the forefront of their minds. Our days on earth are numbered. We do not get a mulligan. This life is a one time opportunity to live for the glory of God. It is the only opportunity to receive Christ by faith and be forgiven of your sin. Sin is the reason we have viruses that plague the world. Sin is what separates and alienates us from our Creator. The biggest problem we face today is not the Coronavirus; it’s sin. And the only remedy to this problem called sin is Jesus Christ Himself. His death atoned for the sins of every single person who will ever believe.
If we know our days on earth are limited, and know that there is an afterlife, and know that Jesus is the only way to be forgiven, wouldn’t the wisest thing be to trust in Him? A deadly, global pandemic is but a drop in the bucket to the problem one will face if their life ends without the blood of Christ being applied to them. So we must realize the urgency of the Gospel message to repent of our sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We only get one life in which to do this. If a person breaths their last it will be too late.
“Teach us to number our days.” There is not a more thought provoking passage in all of Scripture. I pray that everyone will take time to consider this. God alone knows the number of our days. Truly life is but a vapor. We all should live our lives accordingly. Knowing this to be true and having it to change your life is evidence you are growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
By His Grace,
Pastor Johnny