Is COVID-19 a judgment from God?
The answer is no, of course, but I think it’s important to understand why the answer is no.
I’ll start here: When Peter (an early church leader) describes Jesus to a non-Jewish audience for the first time, he uses this description: “…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” (Acts 10:38 NIV)
What’s the mark of someone who has been with God? They do good, and they bring healing. If you read the Bible carefully from cover to cover, if you walk with God any length of time, you discover that this is the heart of God: to do good and to bring healing. When God gives out power, what is it to be used for? To do good, and to bring healing.
In John 9, we come across a man who was born blind. Immediately, the disciples look for someone to blame. They ask Jesus, “Who sinned? This man or his parents that he was born blind?”
Jesus shakes His head, and, yes, I’m paraphrasing, but He essentially says, “You’re asking the wrong question. Stop looking for someone to blame. Instead, see this through God’s eyes. Here’s an opportunity to do good and to bring healing.”
Is God capable of judging people and nations? Yes. Does He have a right to judge? Yes. Will He judge? Yes, eventually He will. But that isn’t His go to. That isn’t where He starts. That isn’t where His heart is. His heart and the heart of His followers is to do good and bring healing.
Many blessings!
Dwight
