Tuesday 24 March 2020

COVID-19 Tuesday, March 24


Dear Church Family,

“Take your Bible, and take your newspaper, and read both.”  That advice from theologian Karl Barth, has never been more fitting than it is today.

The news about the corona virus filtrates almost every article in this morning’s paper.  It’s important to stay abreast of the news in order to be aware of the latest restrictions and closures and to know how we can help stem the tide of COVID-19. Basically, stay home.  But if you spend your whole day reading the newspaper and watching the news, you will soon lose perspective.  Other than the occasional feel-good story, it’s all bad news.

At the same time, don’t read your bibles without listening to what is happening out there.  As Christians, we can slip into Plato’s dualism and assure ourselves that this physical world doesn’t matter anyway; we’ve got a (spiritual) mansion just over the hilltop. The future promises that God holds out to us are beautiful and important.  But his salvation, this concept of “being saved,” is also for today, during the present crisis.  When God says he will uphold us, he means now, today.

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though [we] may stumble, [we] will not fall, for the Lord upholds [us] with his hand” (Psalm 37:23, 24).

You have lots of time on your hands today, so go ahead and follow the news.  But also read your bible.  As followers of Jesus, you can’t have one with the other.
Pastor Rita


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