I was always told it is wise to get a second opinion before making major medical decisions. The reason is simple and common sense: our bodies are complicated and no medical professional has the market cornered on how to treat any disease or medical problem.
When I try to learn more about this coronavirus pandemic, I run into news feeds, facebook pages, and twitter streams that are not just filled with second opinions, but third, fourth, fifth and countless more opinions. And the opinions are not merely about the virus, but about every aspect of our lives that have been touched by the crisis.
All of a sudden our nation is filled with countless experts on infectious disease, constitutional law, government, and economics. The flood of information and competing opinions are endless and it can leave us feeling very uncertain about the future and how to approach it.
"Uncertain" is the right word. The truth is that there is a lot we still don't know about the virus and there is a lot that we just can't predict about the future. This is where worldview is important. Uncertainty can drive us in one of two directions depending on our worldview: fear or faith.
Having a Biblical worldview doesn't mean that uncertainty vanishes. But it does mean that uncertainty doesn't control us. The Bible is filled with men and women and nations who faced uncertain futures, and those who looked to God were able to find rest amidst the uncertainty.
I was reminded of this truth as I read Isaiah 7 this morning. Isaiah is prophesying to King Ahaz of Judah and in doing so is trying to get him to trust God in the mids of an uncertain future. The Assyrians and the Northern Tribes of Israel were threatening war and causing all the people of Jerusalem to literally shake in fear, but God spoke to King Ahaz in Isaiah 7:4 saying this:
"Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint."
Be careful means to be watchful, be on guard, and pay attention. Church leaders, it is our responsibility to stay informed and pay attention to all that is happening around us. Your church needs you to be aware of all that is happening and to be developing well-informed plans and strategies for your church's future
But we must also be quiet. This means we must be calm and collected, demonstrating that we have complete faith and rest in the providence of God.
If that is true then we will not fear. This word fear oftentimes is used in the Scriptures to refer to the awe we should have of our God. The fact is if we fear God first, our fear of man and of our circumstances will fade.
Finally, we are to not let our hearts faint. This simply means that like a soldier heading into battle, we are to move forward with confidence and not draw back. We are not to be timid and fearful.
I recently read an article about a journalist from a major TV network curling up in a ball in the corner of his house because he was so fearful of all that was happening. As I read that I felt sad, for I knew that this man's secular worldview offered him no hope, no escape from fear.
But friends, we do have a worldview that offers us escape and hope because serve a God who rules over this coronavirus, and over our nation, and over our economy and most importantly, over His church.
So pastors and church leaders, don't let the very real uncertainly about this pandemic paralyze you. Instead, show yourselves to be different from the world by leading your churches forward being careful, being quiet, not fearing, and not fainting in the midst of uncertain days.
I am here to pray for you and help in any way that I can.
Restful in Christ,
Steve
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More Helpful Resources for These Uncertain Days:
Here is a very extensive list of help and resources from the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders (SBCAL).
This is a good article about church unity in the midst of this crisis. I hope our churches can model a different behavior than what is seen in our fragmented culture.
Here are some counseling videos from CCEF that I think can be helpful during this season.
9Marks has produced an excellent page with some very good interviews and resources.
Finally, here's some food for thought about measuring church health after this crisis.
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IMPORTANT UPDATES
Governor Abbot has released guidelines for Phase Two of the plan to reopen Texas. You can download that executive order here or click here to read from the Governor's official page.
Child-care facilities are included in the Governor's latest reopening guidelines and since some of our church do have child-care facilities below you will find links with official documents to help you reopen safely.