I’m not going to lie to you, friends. I go through most of my day laughing with my kids, truly thankful that our wise leaders have given them back to me, to keep sheltered under my mama wings during a very strange time. No school, no extracurricular activities. Most of the time I am enjoying myself, amazed by this forced slow down that has the three kids and me huddled together like we were when they were little. But I find that in the middle of an easy, low key day, my heart suddenly becomes absolutely gripped with fear.
We were out and about just a few days ago. What if one of us develops symptoms? What if I have it right now without knowing it, as I handle my kids’ food and play games with them and sit on the couch with them? What if, what if, what if?
It’s a terrifying time to be a wife, mother, and daughter. Most of the day I feel perfectly calm, optimistic, and almost like things are normal. But then I get scared, and I struggle to remember that Jesus is perfectly in charge.
Dr. Richard Ross casually wrote a profound thought this week, and it is changing the way that I hear that dreaded word “Coronavirus.” At this point I think most of us hear and read that word hundreds of times a day. What if we could retrain our hearts and minds to be reminded of something greater each time we hear talk of our current crisis? The latin word corona means “crown.” The Bible paints a clear picture for us of Jesus, the King of Kings, sitting on a throne at the right hand of the Father. The Word of God, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords, He is crowned and reigning right now, even as you read these words. This pandemic is not outside of His jurisdiction (because nothing is). Each time I hear the word now, I picture a golden crown and the Lord of Everything who is my Savior and friend.
Now, remembering that Jesus is the reigning King of Kings is not insurance against a deadly virus. It isn’t a guarantee that we will come through this untouched by hard times or even tragedy. But it will help to fortify our faith in the Lord, and it will help us to cling tightly to this truth: we can trust Jesus with these bodies, with our future, with our children, with our very souls. His will isn’t always easy to unravel or understand. His plans aren’t always what we would choose to have happen. But that’s only because we don’t know what He knows.
He is good. He is trustworthy. And He reigns absolutely, with care, with love, and with an intimate knowledge of everything that is worrying us today. Let that dreaded word that you will hear and say over and over again in the coming weeks take you to a picture of the One who loves you, the King of the Universe, who is working ALL things together for the good of those who love Him. He is sitting on His throne right now. Can you see His crown?
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I’ve started a new word association. Every time I hear “corona” I think “crown” (its Latin meaning). When I think “crown” I then think “King Jesus.” When I think “King Jesus” I then think “everything happening is under his reign and for his glory.” -Dr. Richard Ross
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