[398 words]
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many Americans have been told to stay home. That means do not go to work, do not go to school, do not leave the house at all unless you have to. The number is only expected to increase.
This is commonly referred to as the “Shelter in Place” directive. In our home state of Kentucky, our government officials are calling the plan “Healthy at Home.”
A few random thoughts on the spiritual nature of the shelter in place concept:
As you shelter in place, take the time to read passages like Psalm 91. The righteous know that God both protects and punishes. Our message to God should be that He is, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Thus, included in this is that pain and plague are part of this world. God can be counted on to see us through, and ultimately to deliver us to perfection. Those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb know that their destiny is to be sheltered in the presence of God (cf. Rev. 7:14-15).
It is not wise to tempt God with bravado or misguided claims of faith. Please do not use “faith in God” to rationalize your desire to continue to conduct life and “business as usual.” Of course, we know God has a plan and is in control (cf. Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Matthew 6:34; 1 Peter 1:4; et. al.). However, God expects us to be wise in our faithfulness. Satan quoted Psalm 91:11-12 when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:6). But Jesus made it abundantly clear that one is not to tempt God. He didn’t throw Himself down from the Temple. It is one thing to trust God, it is something else to tempt Him.
Let us not forget that it was God Himself who invented and demanded the concept of quarantine. According to passages such as Leviticus 13 and 14, there were occasions when it was necessary to re-move people from the general population for the good of the others. They took pains to isolate those who were infected and contagious so that they would not infect others.
Bart Warren
South Green Street church of Christ
Glasgow, KY