Suffering

18
Apr
2020
The Corona Virus

The Corona Virus

The Corona Virus 

I am writing these words during the unprecedented times of the Corona virus. Currently, we are living through a worldwide pandemic known as Covid19. Here in Britain – and elsewhere – we are under ‘lock down’ to prevent the virus spreading. This apart, every day the news reports a sad death toll. Many have lost their jobs as well as their loved ones. Normal life seems to be on hold, with the closure of non-essential shops, places of entertainment, restaurants and even churches. Thankfully, I still have a job, as technically I am a ‘key worker.’ Work though has introduced ‘social distancing’, as have the supermarkets. They have supplied us with hand sanitizer, and everywhere there are notices stressing the importance of hand washing. On a happier note, the country seems to be united in battle against the virus. On a Thursday night at 2000 hrs, we all go outside and give our beleaguered NHS workers – and other key workers – a well deserved and supportive round of applause. But do the Scriptures shed any light on the current Corona virus? Of course they do.

The Providence of God

Scripture teaches that behind every event, ultimately there lies the will of God. God is working His eternal purposes out. ‘For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory for ever. Amen’ (Romans 11:36). The events of this life then are not accidental but providential – ordained and foreordained by Almighty God. ‘God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures and all their actions’ (Shorter Catechism). Almighty God is thus is control of the farthest planet, and Almighty God is thus in control of the minutest microbe. He is God. He is beholden to no one. He knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. It would appear that He is currently thwarting some of the modern day idols – sporting events have been cancelled; social gatherings of all kinds have been prohibited and the economy has taken a downturn. It would also appear that with so many events totally beyond our control, He is reminding us that we are not in charge, but that He is the One at the helm of the universe. The Corona Virus knocks away our earthly props and teaches us just how dependent we are on God. Whatever the circumstances, the Christian is called to trust God through thick and thin. ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25). He is under no obligation to explain His ways to us. ‘How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!’  (Romans 11:33). William Cowper wrote:-

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps on the sea
And rides upon the storm

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower.

Have faith in God

For the Christian, a time of crisis is an opportunity to trust in God and grow in faith. God has not vacated His throne! ‘The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all’ (Psalm 103:19). Testing times are to be trusting times, and the God of the Bible is infinitely worthy of your trust. The Bible often descries God as a ‘Rock.’ In Him we may find stability in unstable times. Isaiah 26:3,4 ‘Thou dost keep him imperfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because He trusts in Thee. Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.’

Be sensible

The Bible never encourages us to be presumptuous or reckless, but sane and sober minded. God uses means. He uses secondary causes. Thus we pray for daily bread – but also work so we can buy bread. We pray that God would protect us – but we also lock our doors. We pray for our unsaved friends – but also hand them a Gospel tract and even invite them to church. The Corona Virus reveals our fragility and vulnerability. It casts us on God. But this does not mean that we should not obey the government’s guidelines, so: observe your social distance; stay at home in isolation of you have the symptoms; be very careful about hygiene; seek medical advice is you are really smitten by the virus and have difficulty breathing.

Banish your fears with faith

While it is right and compassionate to be concerned about the present pandemic, fear is not compatible with faith. It is incompatible with knowing God as Father, Christ as Saviour and the indwelling comfort of God’s Holy Spirit. Isaiah 12:2 exclaims ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.’

Fear is as needless as it is pointless and sinful. Why? Because our times are safely in God’s hands. Scripture reveals the He, in His providence, has foreordained both the day of our birth and the day of our death, and we will not die prematurely and we will also not breathe for a moment longer than God has foreordained. ‘In Thy book were written, ever one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them’ (Psalm 139:16).

So take heart. God is in control. Your days are in His care. You are immortal until He sees fit to call you home, whether by old age, illness, accident so-called, or even by the Corona Virus. God knows best!

Sovereign Ruler of the skies
Ever gracious, ever wise
All my times are in Thy hand
All events at Thy command

He that formed me in the womb
He shall guide me to the tomb
All my times shall ever be
Ordered by His wise decree

Plagues and deaths around me fly
Till He bids I cannot die
Not a single shaft can hit
Till the love of God sees fit.

Copyright, Timothy J Cross, 2020

Posted by Site Developer in Apologetics, Providence, Salvation, Suffering, 0 comments
17
Apr
2018

Just the Right Person for the Job

JUST THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB …

 

I never got to know my paternal grandmother very well, but I do remember that when something went wrong, she used to say ‘I’ll have to get the man up.’ So, when something went wrong with the water, she would call a plumber. When something went wrong with the electrics, she would call a qualified electrician I guess we can all relate to this. There is normally just the right person for a particular job that needs to be done. Few of us would undertake a bit of DIY when it comes to plumbing or electricity for fear of getting either flooded or electrocuted respectively.

Did you know that the Bible tells us that there are two distinct divine Persons available ‘on call’ for twenty four hours a day? And these Persons are just the Persons for our deepest need. These Persons are described in the original Greek of the New Testament as the ‘Parakletos.’ When translated literally, the word ‘Parakletos’ means ‘one called alongside to help.’ According to the New Testament, the Christian is blessed by having a Parakletos both in heaven and on earth.

 

  1. Our Helper in Heaven

 

Our Parakletos in heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:1 tells us that If any one does sin, we have an advocate (parakletos) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous Jesus then is just the right Person for the job. He is our Parakletos in heaven – One called alongside the Father on our behalf, One Who speaks up in the sinner’s defence.

How though can Jesus speak up in the sinner’s defence? He certainly cannot plead our innocence, for we are all sinners by nature and practice, and as such we are guilty before God … Well Jesus, our advocate/parakletos, does not so much plead our case, but He pleads His Own case on our behalf. He intercedes for us at God’s right hand not on the basis of our works and righteousness, but His Own work and righteousness. He, as it were, reminds the Father that He has fully atoned for our sins. He paid the price for our sins at Calvary. He was punished in our stead. Because the sinless Christ was treated as ‘Guilty’, we, the guilty sinners may be declared ‘Not Guilty’ in God’s sight.

We have a Parakletos in heaven then. Jesus is our advocate with God. He ever lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25):-

 

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea

A great High Priest, whose Name is love

Who ever lives and pleads for me

Because the sinless Saviour died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the Just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me.

 

  1. Our Helper on Earth

 

Our Parakletos on earth – that is, one called alongside us to help us – is the Holy Spirit of God, the third Person of the blessed Trinity. In John 14:15,16, Jesus promised: ‘If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor (that is, a Parakletos, one called alongside to help) to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.’

                The Holy Spirit of God then – the Parakletos – is the true ‘Vicar of Christ on earth.’ He is described by Jesus as another Counsellor/Comforter Just as the Lord Jesus helped His disciples, so now, all of Jesus’ present day followers may know the personal presence of Christ with them, day by day, in the Person of His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise in John 14:18: ‘I will not leave you desolate, I will come to you.’

It is the Holy Spirit of God Who is the personal presence of God in the lives of His children, day by day here on earth – day and night, winter and summer, in sickness and in health, in days of ease and days of stress, on happy days and on sad days The Holy Spirit’s helping ministry is, of course, vast: It is He Who initially convicted us of our sin and converted us to Christ. It is He Who leads us and guides us. It is He Who helps us to pray aright. It is He Who enables us to understand the Scriptures. It is He Who strengthens us in Christian service, and it is He Who comforts us in sorrow. The Holy Spirit of God is our Parakletos on earth – One called alongside us to help.

Thank God then that just as there is normally expert help on hand to help us when things go wrong, God has not left us to flounder along in our own devices in this world An article of the Apostles’ Creed is: I believe in the Holy Spirit  He is the Parakletos of God on earth, just as the Lord Jesus is our Parakletos in heaven. This divine resource is available to every Christian, without exception He is available to you! It’s a staggering fact that whilst Almighty God presenced Himself in a particular way in the ancient temple in Jerusalem, He now no longer does so. Instead, He now presences Himself in Christians like you and me. The Bible says that it is we who are now the temple of the living God. He dwells in us, by His Holy Spirit. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

 

Our blest Redeemer, ere He breathed

His tender last farewell

A Guide, a Comforter, bequeathed

With us to dwell

He came sweet influence to impart

A gracious willing Guest

While He can find one humble heart

Wherein to rest

Spirit of purity and grace

Our weakness pitying see

O make our hearts Thy dwelling place

And worthier Thee.

 

This post copyright Timothy Cross

Posted by Site Developer in Providence, Salvation, Suffering, The Holy Spirit, 0 comments
20
Jan
2016

When Illness Strikes

Tablet-pack

I am writing this while recovering from Shingles. I don’t recommend Shingles. It’s painful. I have been prescribed five anti-viral pills a day, plus some strong pain killers, for which I am very grateful. Illness can strike any one of us of course, but is there a Christian perspective on illness?

 

1 Christians get ill

At the risk of stating the obvious, Christians get ill. Whilst we are guaranteed perfect health in the life to come, we are not guaranteed it in the present world, for this world is fallen and imperfect. Sin has affected us totally – spiritually, morally and physically. Christians, although redeemed in soul, are yet part of this fallen world. So we get sick. ‘Epaphroditus … was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him’ (Colossians 2:27). Timothy, we are told, suffered from ‘frequent ailments’ (1 Timothy 5:23). Then in 2 Timothy 4:20 Paul writes ‘Trophimus I left ill at Miletus.’ So Christians are not immune from illness. Illness is not something we want, but it is something we should expect from time to time.

 

2 The Providence of God

Christians are encouraged to view whatever happens to them as coming from the hand of God Himself – including days of sickness – for God rules the universe by His providence. And His providence is all-embracing:-

 

‘God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures and all their actions’ (Shorter Catechism).

 

If we believe in the God revealed in the Bible, we will believe that nothing happens ‘by chance’, but that everything has been prearranged according to God’s perfect plan. ‘For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things’ (Romans 11:36).  Who are we to order the Almighty as to how He should govern our lives? ‘Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?’ (Job 2:10). Then there is Romans 8:28. The words are familiar to most Christians, but they take on a new reality during a time of difficulty and trial: ‘We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.’ The ‘everything’ here is all-encompassing. It includes our steps and our stops. It includes days of good health, and it includes days of ill health. Nothing lies outside of God’s sovereignty. ‘The LORD has established His throne in the heavens and His kingdom rules over all’ (Psalm 103:19).

 

  • Blessing from buffeting?

 

Whilst we don’t welcome illness, with Romans 8:28 in mind, we can surely expect blessing from times of illness. Psalm 119:71 reads ‘It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Thy statues.’ But what are the blessings of illness?

Illness forces us to slow down and stop. In Psalm 46:10 God says ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ It is easy to get carried along on the merry-go-round of day to day living – working, commuting, shopping, leisure, emails etc – that the temporal drowns the eternal. Illness forces us to be quiet. Illness brings us to a halt. It is therefore the ideal time to regain an eternal perspective and seek the presence of the God who is the fount of every blessing. ‘Be still and know that I am God.’

Illness teaches us lessons in human sympathy. If we were never ill, we would be in danger of thinking that everyone else should be as fit and strong as we are, and able to cope with our schedule! Illness though brings us down to earth. The Lord Jesus was characterised by sympathy and compassion for others. Illness may thus be sanctified to us, making us more like our Saviour.

Illness reminds us of our human weakness and total dependence on God. We are not self sufficient. Only God is. He is ‘the God in whose hand is your breath’ (Daniel 5:23). ‘In Him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:28). It is good – if not always pleasant – to have the pride knocked out of us, and humble ourselves before God, telling Him of our dependence on both His saving and sustaining grace.

 

3 The best is yet to be

Times of illness wean us off the passing things of earth which can clutter up our lives and hinder our walk with God. Illness prevents our getting too comfortable in this world, and makes us long for the age to come promised in God’s Word. ‘The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us’ (Romans 8:18).

Illness is a reminder that even the best Christian is not fully saved! We are saved in soul by the redeeming work of Jesus, but we are not saved in body. Illness, one day, will certainly be no more for the believer, but this full salvation will not be known until Jesus comes again, bringing in the new heavens and the new earth, and raising His people to immortality, in glorified, resurrection bodies. Perfect blessing and bliss will be known only then. Then only will we be able to serve God free from all that hinders and handicaps us now. Then will Isaiah 33:24 be fulfilled: ‘No inhabitant will say ‘I am sick’; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.’

So Christian, take heart! Whatever your circumstances, God is in control. His grace is sufficient, and His grace will yet prove all sufficient for every one of His children.

 

© Timothy Cross, 2016

Image credit, http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

Posted by Site Developer in Prayer, Providence, Suffering, 0 comments