40 Days of Embracing Uncertainty - Day 13 (for Wednesday, March 11)

You can’t script this and you can’t make it up.  After reading today’s devotion, I marvel at how this particular series “Embracing the Uncertain” speaks volumes about the world we live in.  The message from today in that devotional book is so timely it’s almost frightening – as though God orchestrated it to be the exact subject the world needs to hear on this exact day.  Let me tell you a bit about how I see the devotion in light of the calamity we are facing today.

Start with the title “Beyond Cause and Effect” for Day 13.  Read this quote from the devotion:

“We want to believe that the world is built on a framework of cause and effect, and that people can avoid bad situations if they can simply avoid causing them to begin with.”

The most pressing news yesterday was focused on exactly this kind of thing – all of the news being reported surrounding the coronavirus is related to cause and effect.  Major events are being cancelled.  Travel plans are being postponed.  Sporting events are being played in fan-less arenas.  Universities are going to online learning.  Health care centers are closing to visitors.  Everyone is concerned.  No one is exempt.  Everyone is at risk.  These are the effects.

 

Certainly there are more questions about the cause than we have answers.  What caused it?  Where did it come from?  How do we contract it?  How contagious is it?  How dangerous is it?  How much contact should we have with others?  What precautions should we take?  Is there a vaccine?  Is someone working on a cure?

I’m not sure we can purchase enough hand-sanitizer or bathroom tissue to answer all the concerns represented behind these questions.  

More than likely, there are no political or even medical representatives who can allay our fears regarding this pandemic situation.  I’m reminded of the verse from Psalm 27 that says “The Lord is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid?”

The message from today’s devotion is this: “Trust God.  Follow God.  God is faithful.  God is just.  All will work out in the end.”  Can it be that simple?  In this world of complex issues that right now seem to be huge for humanity’s existence, can trust in God really accomplish what we are hoping for? 

I cannot answer that question for you if you’re asking it.  But I can say this: I’m not generally the kind of person that sticks their head in the sand as calamity ensues all around.  Nor am I the kind of person who runs around screaming that the sky is falling and we are doomed.  What keeps balance for me is that while I cannot do anything about all of the suffering that I might have to face in this world, I can do something about my belief in the One who cares about me – the One who cares about the world. 

During our most difficult and challenging moments – strange diseases, natural disasters, political upheavals, personal struggles – name your challenge – I trust that God’s power, presence and grace is always nearby.  Jesus is right near us every step of the way.  The calamity may not leave, but neither will Jesus.

I can live in the uncertainty of life only because of the certainty of God’s love.