My wife and I love our jobs here in Mexico. We love our students and the ability to live and serve here in the amazing town of Puerto Escondido. If you came to Mexico to visit, it would not take long for us to share about what’s going on with our students and nd what all that God is doing here.
It’s in our nature as humans to share with others with what most impacts us. We will share with others what we constantly think about. This time in the world is no different. It does not take me long to scroll through social media to see it completely saturated with news of this pandemic that we are experiencing in this world. It has impacted the entire world and influencing how we think about life.
Over 70 years ago, C.S. Lewis wrote how the world should respond during an atomic age. One thing that he wrote really impacted me. He said this,
“They (referring to atomic bombs) may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”
These words resonate deeply with me. C.S. Lewis noticed that many people impacted by this crisis were dominated by the fear of this that it completely controlled their minds. The Coronavirus has impacted our world, but it doesn’t have to dominate our minds.
Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 145:13 says, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.” God’s kingdom will never fail. He is our refuge right now. He is our hope in the midst of this crisis. These words are rich and give us hope in the midst of a shaken world.
One of my favorite bands, Kings Kaleidoscope, wrote a song called “Trackless Sea”, and in it they write:
“I’m holding on, to feelings in between
The faith I want, is bound in apathy
I’m tired of doubt, and feeling incomplete
Still, this hope I hold is my reality.”
As Christians, we should be concerned with what is going on with the world. There is wisdom in knowing what is going on and what we can do to stay safe and keep others safe. We should pray for everyone that is being impacted and take precautions as well. But we have a hope that is not moved. This hope impacts our response.
1 Peter 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Brothers and Sisters, we have a living hope through Jesus who came to give us His life. Our hope is not in the circumstances of this world, but in a God who is on control, a God who suffered and conquered death. This hope we have… is our reality!
-Daniel McDonald, GEM Missionary