The following is a modified version of remarks made on Sunday morning at Village.
It’s been a week, hasn’t it Village? Every day the news regarding COVID-19 is changing, and most of our lives have been turned somewhat upside down. I want to try to frame what has happened, where we are, and where we’re going at Village in a clear way.
There has been a lot of information about COVID-19 this past week, and we’re all trying to figure out what it means. Some of us want to downplay it as nothing more than the flu; others of us are truly concerned for our safety. The fact is, the coronavirus is a fast-spreading disease that is here to stay for the next few weeks.
Yes, by the numbers, most people who get it will recover. But vulnerable groups of society are at risk of serious illness and even death. So we have a responsibility to respond well. And to respond well, I want Village to embrace four virtues: wisdom, love, faith and courageous hope.
WISDOM
We first need wisdom, to respond to this pandemic in a clear-headed way. Right now, wisdom looks like taking the recommendations of our government and health agencies seriously. We’ve heard a lot about “social distancing”—keeping physical distance, avoiding physical contact with lots of other people, and avoiding groups. Additionally, we’ve heard a lot about washing hands and not touching your face. All of this is wise counsel.
So this weekend, we encouraged those who are more vulnerable to stay home, and this morning, we asked those who arrived at Village to sanitize their hands as they walked in and to implement social distance.
These are good practices to continue in the days ahead as we seek to be wise.
LOVE
But it’s important we understand: the goal is not simply to avoid getting sick ourselves; it’s to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In other words, in being wise and avoiding contact, we’re trying to love our neighbor. In doing this, we’re thinking not only of ourselves, but the vulnerable populations in our midst, and in our neighborhoods.
But in addition to social distance as a form of love for neighbor, we need to make sure that we’re loving through distance. There’s a good chance that we won’t be meeting in a large group for the next few weeks. For many of us, this Sunday gathering is a prime connecting point for us. But we need to up our phone, email, text, social media and even drop-by-the-house game. We need to check on one another and pursue one another through distance.
FAITH
Now, some of us are afraid. And understandably so. It’s everywhere we look. But here we also need to anchor our hearts in the fact that God still is. We have hope that the God who made us and saved us is with us even in the uncertainties of empty grocery shelves and nonstop coverage of coronavirus spread.
Remember what Jesus taught us: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31–33 ESV)
Church, it’s a promise, and it’s good to take to the bank. Let’s be people of faith.
HOPE
Finally, we must be people of hope. Even if the worst happens. Why? Because those of us who are in Christ have this incredible confidence: the hold of God remains on our lives. Christian, He has you firmly in His grasp. Nothing can separate you from that.
Remember what Paul writes in Romans 8: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39 ESV)
Nothing. Not the coronavirus, not economic turmoil, not even death.
. . .
We are still working to determine what the next few weeks will hold for Village. We will be in communication via email and social media in the next few days. Pay close attention.
Be prepared to change your habits for the next few weeks. We will likely be engaging in remote learning. And we need your help to check in with one another. But in all things, let us be wise. Let us love. Let us trust. And let us hope in the God who loves us dearly.