Certainty Despite COVID
I have been reading and watching a lot of news reports and press conferences recently, and one word has been conspicuously common: uncertain.
Of course, there is so much uncertainty; uncertainty about restrictions, about quarantine, about the spread of COVID, especially in light of the Delta variant. The future seems to be increasingly uncertain.
This uncertainty makes it difficult for all of us to plan for the future. Whether it be holidays, work, or even whether you’ll be at school next week, everything is unsure. I feel this particularly keenly as Rachel & I are (hopefully!) getting married in just 8 weeks! With much of our family living interstate, the uncertainty makes any plan difficult to make and difficult to rely on.
But despite all the uncertainty in life, there are some things which are certain. This week, I’ve paused to reflect on some certainties in my life which will never change, and which I can always rely on. And if you are a Christian, they are certain for you as well!
1) God will always be in control
At the end of the book of Job, Job himself concludes of God: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). God is fully in control, he always has been and he always will be. He exercises his control throughout history, shaping the course of events and bringing his plans to completion. And he is not only in control of the big picture, but also the small details as well. Jesus himself taught us that God’s power extends to every sparrow, and to every hair that falls from our heads (Luke 12:7).
2) God will always be good
God isn’t just in control, but he is good! This is great news, because it means there are good reasons for all that he allows. We often don’t see those reasons, but we can trust that God will always be good. And God isn’t just good for himself: “But we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) If you are a Christian, all things that God does and that he allows will ultimately work for your good. This is often difficult to see right no, but the constant message I hear from Christians who have followed God for decades is that this message is true.
3) I will always be saved
One of my favourite passages, at the end of Romans 8, reads: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (v.33) In light of everything that God has done for us in Christ, everything else becomes far less significant. I have been saved by the blood of Christ. No-one and nothing can take that away, not even COVID! And with that in mind, even the big uncertainties of life (like if you can have a wedding!) start to seem less important.
These three things are found all throughout the Bible, but I’ve been particularly encouraged by re-reading Romans 8. It is an incredible chapter, full of God’s power applied for our good. I highly recommend that you take some time away from distractions (maybe sit in the backyard for a bit?) and read through Romans 8—especially if you too are struggling with uncertainty.
Look forward to seeing all your faces again soon!
Blessings,
Nathanael
