Covid-19 and God’s Love

Every day we read announcements about Covid-19 and the devastating effects this has around the world. In the United States, thousands of people daily succumb to this strange disease and some of these actually die. Many find this terrifying and nearly all find it mysterious. Around the world we find the same results in our search for information on this virus. In fact, every nation is affected, some more and some less. But all countries are touched by this puzzling affliction.

Who would have thought, some four months ago, that this physical malady would have such an impact on everyone, either physically or financially!  Beyond this, we know that millions are affected spiritually in so many ways. How about you?

Maybe you have had to adjust to this disease in some way. Perhaps you have been laid off or even lost your job. Maybe your income has greatly decreased—even greatly decreased. You may now be wondering how you are going to make the next (or present) mortgage payment. And many of you are wondering how you will eat during this week. Where will the food come from and how will you pay for it?  If this has had dreadful effects in America, we need to remember that many places around the world have the same and even worse problems.

We also know that many of you are now at home and must deal with severe limitations of your lifestyle. With the threat of Covid-19, you may be greatly concerned that you—yourself—will contract the disease or perhaps your loved ones. In fact, some of you have probably lost a husband or wife, a child, a father or mother, or others. In some hard-hit places, so many have lost dear ones to this “enemy” that we all must deal with. You may find all of this scary and perplexing.

In the midst of this Covid-19 pandemic, what does God say? Is He even concerned? Does He know and care? We know that the world has gone through massive and deadly epidemics in the past. Think of the “Black Death” of the Middle Ages and later that took millions and millions of lives (some say about one-third of Europeans died!). Think of the “Spanish Flu” of 1919.  It was at this time that two of my father’s siblings died. Think of Sars, Mers, and now Covid-19. Does God give us any consolation? Does He care?

It is good to be able to announce firmly, loudly, and with conviction that God does care! He knows what is going on—and He cares about you! The world may seem to be in chaos, but the Lord is quite aware of all of this and He can and will use this crisis for His own purposes.

You may reply that you don’t believe in God. Regardless of this, God does still care and loves you! You may contend that God doesn’t know what to do when the world seems to be upside down. But, in reality, we know that He does care about you and all others.  Years ago, I read a  pamphlet that was titled something like, “God Hates You!” The tract went to those few places in the Old Testament that says that God “hates” certain incorrigible sinners (e.g., Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 6:16-19; etc.). However, we must remember that there is a sense that God our Creator “loves” all—including those who refuse to believe in Him, have rejected Him, or live as though He doesn’t mind.

Just yesterday, I was watching a DVD that interviews a lot of young people in their teens and twenties. One after another, they asserted that they have absolutely no interest in God! How can God love such young people? And as the years go by more and more of these young ones (they call them “none’s”) seem to be absolutely unconcerned about doing the will of God or living for Jesus.

But the fact is that God does love these people. He does love you—personally. He cares about you! Love is very basic to His very character, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). Let’s not forget that the very nature of God is to love His creation—you and me.

But we also must remember that many of these statements of God’s love pertain to His love for His faithful and obedient children. In other words, they are conditional statements and promises. And some of these statements are unclear as to who is involved. Paul refers to “His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions” (Ephesians 2:4). Here His love seems to be placed on those who are not His. But in 5:25, we read that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (see also 1 John 4:9-11; cf. Romans 5:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Revelation 1:5). So some places we find God loving those who know Him and other places, we find that God’s wrath rests on His enemies (John 3:36; Romans 1:18).

The pamphlet that we referred to above cited the many passages (especially in the Old Testament) that spoke of God loving those who love Him. It is true that God loves His own because they love His Son, Jesus Christ (see, e.g., John 14:21-23; 15:10; 16:27-28). But this essay is not about this matter, thus we must not pursue it (please go to the True Discipleship website for further discussion: www.truediscipleship.com).

For now, if you personally are facing a crisis of some sort having to do with Covid-19, it is good for you to know that God wants this to be for your good. Even though the promise of all things (including Covid-19) working together for good is for God’s children (see Romans 8:28-30), there is a sense in which He wants to work in your own life and use this terrible scourge for His good and for your own benefit.

God’s love is working “behind the scenes” in a way that the terrible experience that you must endure can be used in a positive way. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to respond, we can know that in some unknown way, God will be using this virus for His own purposes for your own good.

It is true that the world is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis and we all must deal with it. How can we do this? We know that most of you who read these words are not even saved, but we also know that God’s good word to you is that Covid-19 is meant for your benefit. Let’s find this benefit and go on with a trust in God, our Creator and Lord. And let’s also remember that this Creator also wants to be your Heavenly Father! He loves you and wants to be in a rich, meaningful, and eternal relationship with you! Will you come to Him during this pandemic and find consolation in Him?