What is a Christian response to this Covid-19 pandemic that will shape our world for the months (perhaps years) to come and that is shaping our lives now?

As Christians, how ought we to respond? To feel? To think? To act?

One of the themes of the Book of Esther in the Bible is the providence of God. God is the true hero of the book and it is discernible that God lines up circumstances such that Esther is so well placed to act to try to save her people. Ironically, God is never mentioned by name in the book – yet God seems everywhere present behind the events…

In the Book of Esther chapter 4, Mordecai calls on Esther to stand up for her people, to beg King Xerxes to change his edict. She explains to Mordecai that such begging, even an approach to the King, may well cost her life. Then Mordecai messages Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. (Esther 4:13-17)

Esther rises to the challenge before her. She steps out in faith. She succeeds in persuading the king, in saving her own life and that of Mordecai, and in saving all of God’s people…and in acting in ways that were consistent with her faith in a unique and threatening genocidal historic moment.

I want to suggest to you that in the midst of this coronavirus we find ourselves in a another threatening historic moment. It is not threatening genocide like it was for the Jewish people in Esther’s Persia, but nevertheless, Covid-19 is life threatening – to some of us, our neighbours, to those in our towns, our nation and indeed to the whole world.

We find ourselves in a moment of high anxiety for the world, and a changing cultural moment. We find ourselves in a time of fear – where people fear each other – because each one might be carrying this awful invisible virus around on their hands or on their breath.

What is ‘such a time as this’ calling us to do, to be as God’s people?

Is God providentially backgrounding circumstances for you, for me, for us as a Church…so that we may find ourselves in a position where we, if we act, perhaps at personal risk, may influence the course of events in a way that saves people and brings glory to our God?

I want to make some observations about this coronavirus ‘time’ that we are living through and I want to make some suggestions for you to consider about how you respond to ‘this time’.

1. SUCH A TIME AS THIS REQUIRES THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO LIVE BY FAITH
Firstly, we need to have faith in God’s continued sovereignty. It’s easy to see God at work in hindsight or in other people’s lives. We can see God working sovereignly in Esther’s life. Right now, we need to see God at work between the lines of the events that are unfolding internationally as well as locally, and we need to see God’s sovereignty in our own little lives.

Secondly, we need to have faith in God’s goodwill towards us – as a world and to you and I personally. When we are going through trouble, it is a great thing to know that God is for us, and that nothing can separate us from His love … not even death. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 15:55, death has lost its sting for us. People around us are afraid of dying – but we do not need to be afraid. Of course, we want to live through this, we want to be spared from this virus. But even if we lose our lives to Covid-19…we still live. We already have eternity! We are God’s children – no matter what.

And let us not forget that we will all die a physical death one day – whether by a virus like this one or a cancer or another disease. But we will be raised again – imperishable.

Trust in God – you will have Him no matter what the future holds. We can say, like Esther did “If I perish, I perish” – not fatalistically, not without sadness, not flippantly…No, we say it filled with certainty for our future, we say it with hope – for that is what hope is – certainty of what we cannot see. As real as this invisible coronavirus is, equally as real is God’s love for us. And you and I may find that in this threatening moment our faith becomes stronger not weaker, our relationship with God closer, our confidence in His love, greater.

2. SUCH A TIME AS THIS REQUIRES THAT GOD’S PEOPLE BE PREPARED TO VOICE OUR HOPE
To point people to Jesus and to invite people into the hope that we have. Sometimes we find that it’s hard to get God into the conversation with our unbelieving loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbours. The coronavirus is giving us an opportunity, an open door to step through with the Gospel. Normally, life is generally good. But now life is not good. People will question life’s meaning. People will fear the future. Be there for them…share with them what casts out your fear. Offer to pray for them. Be ready to listen to them and to gently move them closer to Jesus.

3. SUCH A TIME AS THIS FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD CALLS FOR US TO BECOME KNOWN FOR OUR LOVE
This is our mission – to live by faith, to share our hope and to be known for our LOVE. John Calvin once said “Duty must not be neglected, no more in epidemic disease than in war or fire”. Our duty is to love others. Christ calls us to acts of loving service.

4. SUCH A TIME AS THIS ENTREATS US TO BE BOLD AS GOD’S PEOPLE.
Be bold in our own nervous way – just like Esther. Esther was like you and me. Her religion, even her race wasn’t something she had ever revealed. She wasn’t a risk-taking child of God – until God put her in a place where she could step out in faith and do something really worthwhile for God. What place has God put you in?

Charles Spurgeon put it this way: Every child of God is where God has placed them for some purpose, and the practical use of this point is to lead you to inquire for what practical purpose has God placed each one of us where we now are? We may wish to be in another position where we could do something for Jesus: do not wish anything of the kind, but serve Him were you are.

In a time of coronavirus – what practical purpose can we serve in it? We are the hands and feet of Jesus – what bold things can these hands and feet do in such a time as this?

5. SUCH A TIME AS THIS DEMANDS THAT GOD’S PEOPLE PRAY AND DO THE THINGS THAT CHRISTIANS DO – SING, MEET, PRAY TOGETHER
Esther calls for a fast…we know that prayer and fasting always go together in Scripture.

6. SUCH A TIME AS THIS ENTREATS US TO REMEMBER THE UNCHANGING NATURE OF THE GOSPEL
Whilst culture and the world may change, whilst the way we do church in the coming months will change, the Gospel does not. God is still calling us to new life in Christ, to forgiveness and renewal.

GOD IS THE GOD OF TIMES SUCH AS THIS! (TRACY LAUERSEN)

A Christian father’s first and greatest responsibility is to acquaint his children with God through Scripture. One of the reasons this is so important is because what children learn about God will put them in good standing throughout their lives, no matter what they do and where they go.

The truth is, it isn’t easy to be a good father. However, there are a few principles that can help. Successful Christian fathers have found that they and their families benefit when they follow the wisdom found in the Bible. Here are five principles Christian fathers live by:

They Make Time for Their Family
A good Christian father makes time for his family and anchors his family in Christ. He provides the needs of his family. No other teacher can affect a child as much as his / her parents. For this reason, it’s important that fathers teach their children both by their example and their words. A Christian father not only meets the physical needs of his family, but also the emotional needs of his family as well. The family turns to him as a support in all areas of need and he provides as best he can.

They Love and Respect Their Wives
A Christian father loves and respects his wife. He serves as an example to his children of what a loving relationship looks like so that they may also reflect it in their lives, particularly when it comes to their marriages. When a man enters into a covenant relationship with his bride, he commits to the responsibilities of loving, honoring and cherishing her. The strength a Christian husband needs in order to carry out these responsibilities flows out of his relationship with God. This requires dependence on God’s Spirit. They ultimately give his wife what she needs most – to be loved, honored and cherished.

They Give Loving Discipline and Commendation
The Bible tells us, “Fathers, don’t over-correct your children, or they will grow up feeling inferior and frustrated.” (Colossians 3:21). A Christian father doesn’t just discipline. He disciplines lovingly and commends his children in the process. No matter how frustrated or angry he gets, he expresses loving concern for the welfare of his children. This includes advice, correction, education and chastisement when needed. In addition, he recognizes that discipline is way more effective when a father commends his children regularly. A wise father seeks to make obedience desirable and attainable by love and gentleness. This enriches a child’s character as he / she will know when he / she is acknowledged and appreciated.

They Are Good Communicators
A Christian father should be a good communicator, not only communicating biblical principles to their children, but also being a careful listener. Instead of being a reaction waiting to happen, he has the ability to listen calmly without being judgmental. When children know their fathers will lose their temper quickly, they are less likely to communicate their inner feelings to them. But when they know their fathers listen calmly, they believe they are respected and that there is a genuine interest in what is being said.

They Apply God’s Practical Wisdom
A Christian father will apply God’s practical wisdom to his everyday life and guide his children in the same way. Deuteronomy 6:5-6 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” Fathers who are in a committed relationship with God can guide their children in the greatest relationship they will ever have – an intimate relationship with their heavenly Father.

The greatest example of what a father should look like is God, Himself. The Bible reveals that there is only one perfect Father who is God. The pages of the New Testament give us an incredible glimpse of the marvelous relationship between God the Father and Christ the Son. On three separate occasions, the Bible records these words of the Father to His Son: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. This is the kind of relationship fathers should strive for with their children. There is no greater source than God, the greatest Father of all. (LESLI WHITE)

A BLESSED FATHER’S DAY TO ALL FATHERS, GRANDFATHERS & SPIRITUAL FATHERS

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR YOUR “IMMEASURABLY MORE”?

How’s your morning been? Your week? Your month? We live in a world of crazy deadlines, commitments, and opinions. Sometimes it feels like we’re barely keeping our heads above water. Pause, take a breath, and soak in Ephesians 3:14-21. Paul’s prayer for the church of Ephesus is a wonderful reminder of how much more God wants for our lives than our short-sighted vision shows us.

This beautiful prayer depicts the wonderful relationship Jesus invites us to. The only way to experience the fullness of Jesus’ love is to let Him fully into our lives. God works through us not by pushing us around, but through His Holy Spirit’s guidance. The business of life can drown out the whispers of the Holy Spirit showing us how loved and cherished we are by our Creator. Paul prays we’re strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and we’re given the power to realize just how deep and wide God’s love is for us (Ephesians 3:16-18).

God’s love surpasses our knowledge and our circumstances (Ephesians 3:19). Our lens is infinitely smaller than God’s picture and His plans for our lives. God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). The best-case scenarios in our heads are nothing compared to what God promises to do.

We can pray the same prayer today — that every day we would invite Jesus further into our lives. When we do, we’ll start to see God do more than we ever could dream possible. Let’s not let the pace of our lives cause us to miss our “immeasurably more.”

Reflect:
• Is the pace of your life allowing you to reflect on the truths Paul highlights in this prayer? Why or why not? Does something need to change?

• How does knowing the depth of God’s love help you face your challenges?

• What’s the best-case scenario in your current situation? Reflect on the truth that God wants infinitely more for you than even this. (NEWSPRING CHURCH)