Uncertainty is a crucible for revelation.
My pastor said two things in his sermon two weeks ago when this virus was just looming on the horizon and we had no idea how bad or how mild it was going to be. There were people in my church who thought everyone was over-reacting and others who thought we hadn’t seen anything yet. And, of course, both those groups were sure the other side was wrong. My pastor focused on two things both sides could agree on:
- What major shifts out of our comfort zone do is reveal the strength of our relationship with God.
- Christians have historically been at the forefront of relief during crisis.
Everyone can agree on those can’t we?
Yes, Governments will exploit this crisis just like every other one. The left will say that this crisis proves that we need a stronger central government forgetting that governments are made up of people, and people are not magically immune from the temptations of power. If anything, they are more susceptible because there is some magical thinking in government
As my friend Mike Munger reminds me, every political party has its unicorns. Mike’s point is that policy is messy and full of actual uncertainty. How long will the virus last? What will it do to the economy? Depends on who you ask, but everyone’s crystal ball is flawed. And Americans don’t like that. We are not used to uncertainty. We don’t like it. We expect the world to be predictable. Economist Vernon L. Smith says:
Why, throughout almost all our life of economic experiences, do none of us have the slightest concern that when we go to our local stores, everything we might desire will be waiting for us on the shelves? We never think on these things because we have no need or motivation to think on them. We operate deeply immersed in a world of prices and available goods and services, and never give it a thought.
We are immersed in certainty. Until we are not. Last week we were wrenched out of our comfort zones, but uncertainty is a crucible. The original meaning of apocalypse is not chaos but upheaval that brings revelation. The decks are cleared, and we find out what’s really important and what we really need. What we really rely on. Revelation is scary. Since last week I’ve learned that a lot of my talk about trusting God is really a lot of hot air. My talk about needing only God is a lot of fluff and nonsense. The moment my toilet paper isn’t right there on the shelf at a reasonable price, I get scared. Many people discovered they weren’t prepared for a run on supplies, but I found out that I wasn’t prepared for any little change to my reliable world. I wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes in the 1st century.
I have been living in a spiritual bubble. And Corona Virus popped it. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I was living with the delusion that I was going to live to a ripe old age. No one is certain of that. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard quotes from C.S. Lewis’ essay on living in an atomic age. A great deal has been made of it. Some have wrenched his essay out of context to provide some sort of political commentary on how concerned we should be about social distancing as if Jack cared one whit about political policy. Still Jack did know a lot about living with uncertainty having survived WWI and the battle of Britain. It afforded him some insight.
It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
Hear that? It is the sound of a bubble popping. There may be uncertainty about toilet paper and ventilators. But there is no uncertainty that we will die. This does not mean we shouldn’t shudder at the thought of harming others by passing it to others. There are two dangerous responses to this virus. One primarily physical and secondarily spiritual. The other just the opposite. Say we flaunt good practice because are dead certain we know what’s up and that God will protect us from this thing as irresponsible false teacher Rodney Howard Browne did. The results could be tragic physically. But also, spiritually. I think David French is right that such rashness masquerades as courage. Don’t forget that one of Satan’s temptations of Jesus was to get him to jump off the temple even though God would surely save him.
The other extreme is to let uncertainty destroy us with fear. We can obsess and fret. As Lewis says, we could be “found huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. Well, not huddled together because distancing but you get the idea. The tragedy of letting uncertainty rule us is that we resist the revelation that we have been counting on certainty instead trusting in God. This can have secondary physical effects as well.
So, what is the middle ground between cowardice and rashness in the face of this virus? Courage. Christian courage. “But God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
May God mold us in this time of uncertainty and grant us to the gift of revelation not only of what we have been clinging to but what can become in Him.Ω
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In 2 Timothy 1:7 (NAS) where the apostle Paul says: “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline,” Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t he specifically referring to sharing and teaching the Gospel??
Also, I know if I had lived in the first century, I know I would not be the person I am now living in the current. So how can we compare living in this time compared to then??
Micahel, You are probably right that I have taken this verse out of context. The context seems to be Timothy’s “gift” which is surely evangelism and pastoring. Furthermore, the verse afterwards is about not being ashamed of Paul and his ministry. One could argue that more than just about spreading the Gospel but Christian living. But I take your point and thank you for making me aware. I will deduct the requisite points from my seminary badge. 🙂
Hello from Australia. This word has fed me even in Australia. I relate to the experiences you write about. And in fact have gotten closer to God because of the grip of fear. Whilst I have been a Christian for over 20 years I didn’t spend enough time in prayer, supplication or his word. Thank you for your honesty and your words through this time.
Sincerely Sharon
Jonathan, I saw what you said as true and accurate, while agreeing with Michael, too. ‘For I am not ashamed of The Good News, IT IS The POWER of GOD for salvation to those who believe.’
Paul asks for prayers to declare the mystery of the gospel boldly as he ought. Eph 6:10-20
I see in scripture, this revelation already revealed to us, does become clearer, as we experience the truth in reality believing, clinging to God seeing his word living and active, instead of holding to truth more as a static claim as we move through history.
Courage, in the revelation of the proclaiming of the good news, is made evident that those who came before us held out the good news with an open hand and not an angry first, while proclaiming, contending and defending, laying down the pride of there own life while putting God’s pride on display, Jesus the Christ. Rebuke to the Jewish religious politic and gnostics and reproof and correction to those claiming to gather in His Name is not the same as an angry first, yet reveals the stand for HIs people to be courageous with love and truth.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4* was not simply the good news displayed in creed for us today, but the revelation in context reveals it was being clarified for the Corinthians under a reproof and correction. Note 15:34 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
John the baptist, as a prophet, was that voice in the wilderness for Jesus 1st coming.
Today, we are called to be the voice in the wilderness, together as 1 prophet repeating what the Holy Spirit has entrusted and committed to us in the writing of the scriptures.In Revelation 22:9b the angel said to John : I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
Who is guaranteed tomorrow? The good news has (should have) always been our 1st importance. Jesus example for us is not a revolutionary or a philosopher He is The Revelation and The Resurrection. We serve such in the world by meeting them were they are at, but not claiming name for ourselves at to who they are.
1Cor1-3,4 Example.
Let us be bold and fearless against the popularities in the power of the spirit of the air as long as the door is still open:Now, Today is the day of salvation. We are governed by God, not the philosophies of politic science. We are born citizens in the kingdom of God having been made HisPeople with OurPeople, assigned to be ambassadors being peculiar born physical citizens in this world- our neighbor called ThePeople or OurOwnPeople to reach as alien kinsmen.
See Isaiah 58-school master, and attitudes like Jonah- but God has been patient with us 2 Peter 3. Let us be fools for JesusChrist.
Yes , Isaiah 58: Why did Jesus say, “the flesh COUNTS for nothing”. ? Understood with a mind governed by the Spirit and not a mind governed by the flesh- The spirit that is not raised to life is not resurrected to life. It remains oppressed by the “isms” of this world, instead of set free by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, understanding Jesus is the bread of life-purely found in the good news we are to contend for, unveiled.
PS: The book of the apocalypse was to be read and understood by HIs servants in the assemblies, common men, for encouragement and repentance. Rev 1-3, as Jesus knocks on the door of the church. Who really believes Him that it is a free gift offer with equal weights and measures, of first importance, The Gift of our Father-JesusChrist-Our First Love? Let us proclaim Come!Take! Rev 22:17
The Good News has never been reformed- it is the same yesterday, today and when He returns on the Day of The Lord. ( let the reader understand- who preserved the living and active word of God for us- a perfect Prayer John 17 who prepares us ahead of time; Ephesians 2)
As we hold on to what we have, sharing the good news, for every opportunity God opens ours eyes, too. See riddle and parable made plain:Luke 11:1-13
We were told long ago by the Apostles it was the last hour. Repentant myself for my own sins, too: time waits for nobody while God is being patient.How much time I squandered knowing I had the insight of the heart of an evangelist:Who is forever guaranteed tomorrow? And lazy about being unpopular among HisPeople-squandering my gift to be bold and courageous in time in the space he has given us. Let us be awake virgins in the last hour as 2 burning lamp stands filled with oil. We have an aroma: 2Corinthians 2 and Rev11 Stand Firm with Truth and Love for our friends, neighbors to include someone who holds us as enemy.