As we start the 4^th week of social distancing and #covidtine, it feels like knowing what day it is hardly matters. But this week is different. This week we remember and celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This Sunday, I won’t let my family worship in their pjs, much to their dismay! We’re going to get dressed and take a photo to look back on and remember this Easter when everything was different. 

All these changes in our way of life have been forced upon us because of the threat of death. If this virus didn’t kill so often, we wouldn’t be quarantined in our homes, we wouldn’t be cancelling school, and we wouldn’t be willing to shut down our economy as we attempt to slow its spread. Our world has come face-to-face with death in a way that we haven’t before in our lifetime. 

As we take these drastic measures to preserve life, we can do so with hope in the One who willingly gave His life to conquer death for us: 

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (I Cor. 15:20 and 55, NIV)

Friend, this is good news: Jesus is alive! He is a suffering Savior who died in your place and also a reigning King who conquered the power of death. We read in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades. Death has no power over Him.

Our risen Savior is the firstfruits of the resurrection. “Firstfruits” implies that there are more resurrection fruits to come! When He stepped out of the grave, He made a way for us to have new life in Him now and eternal life with Him forever. Death has no power over Him, and it also has no power over those of us who are in Christ. 

And so even though we feel the pain of death here temporarily, we can look at Christ’s empty grave and say with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus Christ took the sting of death for us, so we can face the threat of death with confident hope in Him. 

No matter what you face this week, the risen Christ conquered death for you. 

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How is your heart responding to your new way of life during the coronavirus crisis? The first week, I think I was mostly in shock. The second week, the shock started to wear off and sadness kept creeping in. And now as we face the third week of feeling like we’re living in a movie that we never wanted to see, the questions keep reverberating in my mind: “How long? When will this end? How will life ever be normal again?” 

I’m tired, stressed, and scared, and I think if I just knew how and when this would be over, I could face each day with more endurance, hope, and peace. And yet, God isn’t giving us the answers we desperately crave. I think I know why. 

If I knew an end date, I’d be tempted to trust my ability to manage life until then. When I don’t know how this will end, I must place my trust in the One who knows and who will provide what I need for each day. The Lord is asking us to look ahead at an unknown future and trust Him every morning. 

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)

We don’t know how long this will last. But we know that it won’t outlast God’s steadfast love, His endless mercies, or His great faithfulness. As He provides for the lilies of the field and the birds in the trees, He will provide for us, His beloved children. 

When we look ahead and wonder how we’ll cope next week or next month, we will grow anxious. This is so hard for me – I want to be prepared and plan for every possibility. But God is asking us to trust Him for today and not worry about tomorrow. All our tomorrows are resting securely in His hands. His faithfulness will be sufficient no matter what comes. We can let Him take care of all the worries of tomorrow as He faithfully provides for us today. 

No matter what you face this week, your hardship will not outlast God’s faithfulness. 

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Just two weeks ago, I had no idea what a gift it was to spend time chatting with friends after church. My kids often get annoyed with me when the church building empties and I’m still talking. They line up in height order in front of each other in what they call the “kid totem pole”. The oldest rests his chin on the head of the middle child, who rests his chin on the head of the youngest, and they give me puppy-dog eyes that beg me for lunch. It’s one of the many small pleasures I’m missing right now. 

 We’re all grieving the loss of normal life and routine, and our grief is appropriate. So many earthly pleasures have been taken away in such a short time—big ones like spring break trips and little ones like annoying the kids by talking too long after church. And yet, the Lord is at work. All the good right in front of us can often distract us from the ultimate good that can only be found in the Lord. When so much of life is stripped away, we see the treasure of Christ more clearly. 

“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you . . . You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness is joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:1-2, 11) 

The happiness that the world offers can be taken away in days or even minutes. Many of these pleasures are good gifts—sharing a meal with a group of loved ones, learning in a classroom, singing a hymn with our church family, trying to find a table in a crowded coffee shop to catch up with a friend. 

But in the Lord, we find the fullness of joy and pleasures that last forever. He is the source of all the good things we have, and He is our refuge when so many good things have been taken away. Nothing can separate us from the goodness of His great love for us in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39)

And by the way, somebody should warn my kids to pack a sandwich when we go back to having church services. One day when we’re there together again, I just might never leave. 

No matter what you face this week, your greatest joy can be found in the goodness of God. 

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“Coronavirus is ruining everything.” 

“It feels like coronavirus has taken over.” 

“We get more bad news every day.” 

“Everything seemed better a week ago.” 

These are a few of the statements I’ve heard my kids and their friends say in the past few days. They mirror many of the thoughts that have run through my head, along with the question of whether life will ever be normal again. These are hard times. 

“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6)

When our enemy seems to be winning—whether it’s man or virus—we can still face our days without fear. Why? Because the Lord will answer when we call to Him. He has set us free from the power of death and given us eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord is on our side, and He always wins. 

If you look at these verses in your Bible, you’ll see that Lord is printed in small capital letters. The Hebrew word used in these verses is the covenant name that God shared with His people. It’s His name that reminds us that He always keeps His promises. He’s not just the king on the throne—He’s also the faithful Father who cares for His people. 

While a lot has changed in the last week, one thing hasn’t changed: the truth of God’s promises. Coronavirus can’t ruin His good plans for us. Our heavenly Father, not a virus, rules over our world and our lives. The good news of the Gospel gives us hope and peace every day. While we pray that our situation improves, we remember that God is with us and will be faithful in all circumstances. 

No matter what you face this week, the Lord is on your side. 

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