If you ever questioned the idea that we live in a global village, i hope current events have caused you to acknowledge that reality. Today the impact of coronavirus is being felt in almost every corner of the globe. As of 3/15/20 2:20PM, 145 countries have reported cases of the disease, as per data collected by Johns Hopkins University. That’s 145 of the 189-196 countries that currently make up our world (depending upon which source you acknowledge for the total number of countries). Currently all of our many differences are being overshadowed by the presence of a common enemy.
When we rang in the new year less than ninety days ago, none of us (other than perhaps a handful of medical researchers) had ever heard of the disease. None of us expected that this would be a giant we would all be facing within the first few months of the year. And most of us, until the last week or so, had never heard the terms, let alone been taught that “social distancing” and “flattening the curve” were a good thing as a part of a strategy to fight a giant.
But here’s the thing. The giant will pass. The world will go on after coronavirus. This is not the end of the world. i do not say those things to in any way minimize the efforts that are being taken to reduce the impact of the disease. We need to be wise and discerning in how we respond to this – or any giant. However, we need to always keep the giant in its right perspective. Otherwise giants can lead us to panic and fear.
This past Sunday, our pastor reminded us (as i’m sure many pastors did, all over the globe), when we gathered for worship via live-streaming, of the admonition of the apostle Paul – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 ESV). We can hold to that admonition to not be anxious because of the truth Paul wrote immediately preceding that verse. He wrote, “The Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5 ESV).
The giant we have encountered is much bigger – and much greater – than any of us. But – our God is much greater than the giant – any giant! And He is at hand! Unfortunately it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that the Lord is at hand. We can become disoriented as we stand in the shadow of the giants, and lose sight that we are to remain in the shadow of the Most High (Psalm 91:1) – Who is right at hand.
Just ask the Israelites. Moses sent twelve spies into the Promised Land (Numbers 13). Their mission was to explore the land and report on the inhabitants, their encampments, the land and its crop production. They were to find out: How many people live there? What are their demographics? Do they live in fortified cities or unprotected encampments? Is the land fertile or fruitless? What can we anticipate as we enter into the land? What kind of life and livelihood will the land provide? They were instructed to bring back samples so that all the people could see for themselves what a “land flowing with milk and honey” produces! They were to go quickly, make a thorough exploration of the land and bring back their report.
They were sent to survey the land in preparation for inhabiting it. They were to explore and examine the land and report their findings to Moses and the elders. The spies were never sent to evaluate the feasibility of inhabiting the land. That was never the question. God had said, “I will bring you into the land; and I will completely destroy your enemies.” Their mission was not to evaluate how; their mission was solely to explore where and what. They didn’t even have to research when; God’s timing would be perfect.
But when they saw the giants, they became preoccupied with their overwhelming size. They became anxious and turned their attention to how they could – or in their case, could not – overcome the giants.
It’s important to note that not all twelve of them did – two of them did not. Those two – Caleb and Joshua – remained rightly focused on the One who had promised to overcome any giant (Exodus 23:31). They stayed focused on the One they were following – the One who had promised the land – the One who was at hand.
Ten gave in to fear and panic – and that led most of the Israelites to do the same. Fear and panic tragically led to the death of an entire generation in the wilderness. But the two kept their eyes on the One at hand. Trust in the One at hand ultimately led them to experience the fulfillment of His promise.
That trust never meant that they wouldn’t have to make adjustments or fight to overcome the giants and acquire the promise. They did! But the key was that God went before them. The giants were overcome – just as He had promised.
So how does that relate to us – and the giant we are currently facing? Let’s not allow the giant to cause us to take our eye off the One who goes before us in our daily lives or the mission He has set before us. We are to be His hands and His feet in the world in which He has placed us. We are surrounded by people that hunger for the peace and confidence that can only be found in Him. Let’s not cower in fear in the shadow of the giants; rather let us walk wisely in the shadow of the Most High. Because He goes before us. Let’s follow Him and face the giants.
Excerpt from The Wandering Years, Ch. 17