WHY?
One of our Know Your Bible viewers called in Sunday and asked, “Why doesn’t God get rid of the coronavirus so we can worship and pray together again?” I suspect you have asked the same question in one way or another. Even though “going to church” in pajamas is kind of cool, we are all ready to dress up and get back to normal – in worship and in life!
So, how did I answer the question? By saying that we really can’t answer that question. Questions that begin with “Why did God…” or “Why doesn’t God…” are way above our pay grade. God himself says so in Isaiah 55:8,9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I think, if I were God, I would vaporize every COVID-19 germ on the planet by noon Friday so my people could pack their churches on Easter Sunday. But I don’t think like God. I know He didn’t cause it, but I don’t understand why He allowed it to start or why He allows it to continue. I do know that He will cause good to come from it. Because He promised. (Romans 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…)
I imagine we could compile quite a long list of good things that have come out of this pandemic, but here’s just one. The Know Your Bible ministry is “blowing up.” More quarantined people = more viewers = more questions + more BCC requests. More frightened, uncertain people = more people searching for something solid in life. One viewer emailed this week, “Thank you for being on the air and providing good Christian content!” Since our troops of BCC graders aren’t able to be at the building regularly to pick up and grade their student’s lessons, a couple of intrepid volunteers have been working a full day or two each week trying to keep up. They report that people are writing notes of appreciation on their lessons about how much the lessons mean to them these days. It occurs to me that sometimes it takes a scary, uncertain time for people to seek God. But, I suppose HE already knew that.