A Special Form of Evil

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

—Romans 8:31-39

Weeks ago, in response to a note from a hospital revising its clergy visitation policy, I quickly thumb typed a quip of a response saying, “This is an amazingly crafty scheme designed to create separation exactly when we need togetherness the most. Our adversary has always been a crafty one.”  Now I see this truly is a special form of evil. My heart breaks for people who suffer to the point of death alone and for their families and friends who long to be with them but who must stay away, and for each person grieving in isolation. We need to be together. We need one another. We are designed in the image of God who has existed eternally in relationship, we long for relationship, we long for compassionate embrace, and this evil is keeping us apart.

My heart breaks for patients unable to receive treatment they need because of risk associated with COVID. My heart breaks for doctors forced to make heart-wrenching decisions, sending patients with non-COVID-related diagnoses home rather than providing treatment that until recently would have been standard procedure, but today is postponed for fear of compromising the patient’s immunity to COVID. Patients with non-life-threatening conditions, even those that will likely progress to life threatening, are being sent home without treatment because of COVID.  

Our adversary must be savoring the delicious evil he has unleashed.

But we are not alone. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit is with us (see John 14:16). He promises we receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us (see Acts 1:8). He promises that He abides in us (see John 15:4). He promises, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). And He promises to give us peace saying, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

Pause for a moment and process the amazing promises. God, the creator of the universe, the One who spoke all matter into existence out of nothing, the One with all power and authority in heaven and on earth, the holy, pure and divine One who has always been and always will be, He is with us, He dwells within us, He empowers us. We are not alone.  

And the One who dwells within us is mightier than the adversary. Discussing the adversary, whom He describes as the “ruler of this world,” Jesus says, “he has no power over me” (John 14:30). And the adversary has no power over you. When you hear whispers inspiring fear or doubt or causing you to focus on chaos, remember who you are. You are a child of God and He dwells within you.  

“For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:6-7). 

So what are we to do with this? We are called to love one another, we are called to be light and salt to the world around us, we are called to allow Jesus’ love to flow through us, transforming the world we encounter. At the moment, we must do this from a distance. We must be creative and smart, and we must demonstrate love in ways that do not exacerbate risk, because the physical risk is real and we must carefully chart our course in this broken world in which we live.

But the virus is merely another symptom of brokenness, one battle in a larger war against the adversary. While we wash our hands and guard our breath and diligently maintain other physical precautions, we must not forget the spiritual dimension of our struggle. God’s holy word says, 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:10-13

We must diligently protect ourselves with God’s truth, with righteousness, faith, certainty of our salvation, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), and we should nurture it all through prayer. Stand firm in God. Seek God. Praise God in every situation because He is worthy of our praise and worship simply by being who He is. As the psalmist writes, 

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.  Psalm 34:1-3

Will hardship or quarantine or a virus separate us from the love of God? Will we allow whispers from the adversary lead us astray? Absolutely not. In and through Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors. 

Please join me as I remind myself to put on the armor of God, seek Him and praise Him. And please join me praying for doctors, nurses and other care givers, for patients, their families and friends, for each person feeling isolated and lonely. May we each know and may others know as a result of our prayers Christ’s peace, His comfort, His wisdom, His discerning spirit, His light and love and life. Amen.