How Can You Prepare for Coronavirus?
Coronavirus! What can I do to prepare? Should I be alarmed? Preparation is always wise. Have you prepared your heart for coronavirus? Have you prepared your heart spiritually? “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord"
How Can You Prepare for Coronavirus?
As the coronavirus stalks the globe, you have probably watched, bewildered by the chain reactions both of the virus and the aftermath it has produced. Likely, your life and routines have been challenged. Perhaps schools in your region have closed their doors. Maybe you have had to cancel or postpone travel plans. Perhaps you have stocked your shelves with disinfect wipes, bleach, and hand sanitizer. Or perhaps, while routinely filling your cart with your weekly groceries, you were shocked by empty shelves that should have held toilet paper, sugar, even meat. Maybe you are calculating how the virus and the ensuing fear will impact your life next.
And what can you do to prepare for whatever comes next? Preparation is always wise, that is why I lay this question across your mind today. Have you prepared your heart for coronavirus? I know, coronavirus doesn’t affect the heart. It is a respiratory illness. But I’m talking about your spiritual heart, the core of who you are, your past, your personality, your values and goals.
Consider this: you will die. You know, of course, that only a small percentage of those diagnosed with COVID19 actually die from it. But unless the Lord of the Universe takes His church home to heaven first, you and I will both die of something. Do you celebrate your birthday every year? Great! As certainly as you pass the date of your birth every year, so you also pass the date of your death. While you do not know which one it is, the Lord knows. Have you prepared for that day?
After you die, the Lord of the Universe (Who knows your heart better than you know it yourself) will judge your life. He will look upon your naked heart. He will consider your years of thoughts, words, and actions. By itself, your life will proclaim whether you spend eternity in heaven or hell.
So today, the most important preparation you can pursue in light of the coronavirus, is to prepare for death. When the germs all settle and the pandemonium fades and life returns to normal, you will find that preparing to die has really prepared you to live. Getting your heart right with God and preparing for Him to judge you will have a profound impact on your daily life. Your goals, your fears, your habits, and your relationships will change. And normal life will have new meaning and depth.
You will no longer seem to be an insignificant speck, flinging yourself about in a useless hurry, searching for elusive fulfillment. But you will be a child of God. You will begin a love relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, the One Who makes it possible for you to have your heart prepared. You will live to serve and please Him. He will watch over you and give you direction. You will look daily to Him for strength and grace and help. It’s a beautiful relationship. But it’s a long story, one you will want to read about for yourself.
So, make your most important preparation for world events today. Buy a Bible. Or get your own off the shelf and start reading it. Start in the New Testament, in the book of John. Ask yourself this question as you read, “Who is Jesus?” And then, “Why did He come to earth?” You won’t understand everything you read, but keep reading anyway. The more you read with an open heart, the more you will understand. Ask the Lord of the Universe to open your eyes to see Him, and to see His plan for your life. He will hear the whispers of your heart, and He will answer.
The Bible extends this invitation to you today, from Isaiah 55:1-3. “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
“Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
“Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you; even the sure mercies of David.”
In the same chapter of Isaiah, verses 6-7, the invitation comes again: “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”