What Does God Say About The Coronavirus?

Psalm 91:5-6 
​You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor the arrow that flies by day, Nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

Yesterday we talked about the fact that the Bible addresses every issue of life, and has your answer for every question known to man. Well, as I am writing this there is a virus sweeping the nation, and virtually the world, that has people not only frightened but also acting in crazy ways! How so, you may ask. Well, I for one, am suffering with a mild head cold. Because I am coughing (even though I have no fever) I am staying away from public places. Last time I had a cold I made sure I had no fever and had tissues and hand sanitizer, and went about my daily routine. Certainly, I would not go to nursing homes, hospitals, or to visit small children, but most other places would be okay. Not with this virus!

Somehow, this time is different. I personally am not concerned about the virus; I am, however, concerned about how people would respond to me coughing in their midst. I have watched the news outlets show all the hand sanitizer wiped off the shelves, yet, doctors are saying washing your hands regularly is all you need. The masks covering your nose and mouth, also sold out. Medical professionals tell us that is worse because you touch your face to adjust the mask and you may be picking up the bacteria somewhere else and putting it right in your eyes.  

Let’s go back to the ‘instruction book,’ shall we? Psalm 91 gives us a comforting picture of what God will do for us in troubling times — like a worldwide coronavirus outbreak. Here, God gives us a wonderful promise of divine protection. But, along with this promise of God, comes a prerequisite. Psalm 91, verse 1 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” When we spend time abiding in His presence there is a peace that comes over us that is unexplainable. We can face uncertain times with the knowledge that God has our back. How do we know this? Well, for one thing, He tells us we do not need to fear the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor flies by day. I for one prefer to believe that God has this virus all figured out. You can bet that this evil thing did not catch Him off guard. And, as children of God, He will protect us just like we protect our children.  

It is when we become anxious, we use up resources in our bodies that we need to defend us from illness. On top of that, the stress does not make anything else any better either. It may be very tempting to get caught up in the hoopla surrounding the news of every new case (most people recover, by the way) — but stop for a minute, take a deep breath and remind yourself, I can relax, God’s in charge!

Question: Are you stressed about what the news is reporting about the coronavirus? List three things you can do to help yourself relax and trust God. Here’s the first: 1. Read Psalm 91 daily.