What does God teach us about a virus?

We are living through an unprecedented period for our generation. None of us, not even the most experienced, have experienced a pandemic, and what we know about times of calamity comes to us through historical testimonies and secondary experiences. But the appearance of coronavirus has changed that reality. The invisible threat has dramatically transformed humanity’s modus vivendi. Currently, social detachment has become the norm, as some people may be infected and have no symptoms, while in others the signs are so severe that they can lead to death. Thus, withdrawal has become an expression of love and care, while just a few days ago it was seen as a manifestation of indifference.

The virus disturbed our idols and threw some of our “sacred cows” to the ground. This becomes clear when the effects of the pandemic are considered on three main objects of popular worship: sports, entertainment and prosperity. The advance of the Coronavirus has caused the paralysis of sports competitions, in particular with the expansion of the Olympic Games. There is no more news about soccer team fights and more talk of the “team of hearts”. The interest in preserving life seems to have exceeded the passion of some fans. People were also asked to discontinue certain routine entertainment activities. There are no bar gatherings, no beat calls, and even the beaches are isolated. Some people who have ventured out on cruise ships ended up experiencing nightmares when their ships were banned from docking in ports on suspicion of contamination from crew members or passengers. Furthermore, economic damage has ruined the hope of prosperity for many. Global economic forecasts are far from optimistic. Some people are already losing their jobs, entrepreneurs are losing sleep, and financial exchanges are losing investors every second. In fact, several human idols have been dethroned by the spread of a virus.

Coronavirus is native to China.
But it is not limited to national borders.
On the contrary.
It adapts very well to any country and any continent.
Nor does it accept people and affects both rich and poor.
And although the elderly are at risk.
There are cases of young people who have also seen their lives truncated.
So far.
No medication seems to be entirely effective in stopping its progression and there is still no vaccine against it.

Faced with this scenario, some people honestly wonder if this pandemic is a divine judgment on humanity; some even remember passages from the Book of Revelation describing plagues and diseases that will take the lives of a large percentage of humanity (cf. Apoc. : 7-8 and 9: 13-21). Of course, every death sentence in the universe indicates the day when every human being will appear before the supreme judge for the final sentence, but this virus is not yet apocalyptic revelation, in a sense the appearance of this virus and its lethality are a sign from God that something is wrong in the world in which we live , it is a fallen world, in rebellion against God, and the consequences of the fall are upon all living beings, however, this invisible enemy can also be an instrument of God for human beings, especially those who have attentive ears to hear these instructions.

So what might be the Lord’s teachings through such a terrifying virus?There are at least four lessons we carefully and respectfully suggest that we consider about it. I will try to briefly develop each of them below.

1. La fragility of human life. The coronavirus is considered low lethality, but it has already caused many deaths on five continents, in the face of this challenge humanity has understood how fragile human life is and how many risks of death there are in this universe, a few days ago many lived as untouchable and now take refuge in their homes, frightened by the effects of the pandemic.

But God has always taught in the Bible that human life is fragile. There is a text in the epistle of Santiago that deals clearly with this. In this document, the Apostle asks and replies, “What is your life?Are you like a fog that appears for a moment and then dissipates?(Stg 4. 14) The metaphor of fog clearly communicates the reality that human life is fragile, and in recent days, coronavirus seems to have helped us remember this reality.

2. La the fallibility of human planning. No one has been able to effectively predict the emergence, advancement and devastating effects of the coronavirus, everything happened so quickly that it seems to have taken humanity by surprise, the worst thing is that today, living under the effects of the pandemic, we are also unable to plan for the future, because we do not even know for sure how to live the present, we do not know for sure when it all ends and everything will return to normal , the problem is that normality will never be the only one once we know, because the pandemic has already changed many things.

Human boundaries converge on the fallibility of their projects. No forecast is foolproof and no project covers all variables. In fact, our plans are not a guarantee of full success and God reminds us through the emergence of this virus.

3. La importance of relationships. In a state of social isolation, without being able to run, without being distracted by the feeling of being too busy with something else, many people have had to rethread what is, in fact, important in this life. , if they cannot even hold a funeral for some covid 19 victims, has led some to rething their relationships, for families in good relationships, social isolation gives them more time to carry out related activities, however, for those whose relationships have weakened, isolation is more like hell. In those moments, the assessment of the culture of deep and beneficial relationships is always welcome!

4. La need for authentic faith. Times and afflictions end up testing our faith. In writing about this, the Apostle Peter exhorted his readers: “In this ye rejoice, though in the present, for a short period of time, if necessary, ye shall be saddened by various trials. , so that once the value of your faith is confirmed, much more precious than confirmed, that perishable gold, even refined by fire, leads to praise, glory, and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ?(1Pierre 1. 6-7). It is interesting to note that the Apostle compared faith to gold, one of the most precious and lasting metals since ancient times, yet there will come a day when the value of gold will be put into perspective, but authentic faith will always have great value. in God’s eyes.

True faith connects the believer with the Lord Jesus, who is our hope (cf. 1 Tim 1:1) and therefore even in the midst of the afflictions of a pandemic, the believer can walk with hope. he does not consider suffering to define him, but an agent who refines his faith and trust in the Lord.

In any case, the fact that we live on difficult days does not have to be desperate, but it can be educational for all of us. God, in his sovereignty and providence, isn’t he?By the onset and progression of this virus. In fact, he even uses this invisible enemy to teach some lessons to contemporary humanity. Anyone who has ears to hear should be aware of it.

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