By Adrienne Greene
Q:
Dear Pastor,
I’m wondering about God’s goodness. Does he know we’re in a Covid-surge?
A:
I understand your question. On a human level, we’re all suffering. It’s Thanksgiving, for crying out loud, and we’re not making guest-lists, we’re delivering food to our vulnerable relatives. It’s perfectly awful.
The virologists warned us this could happen with Covid-19. Preachers like me proclaimed it wouldn’t and prayed our way through the summer…that the strain would weaken and disappear by autumn (which is also the way a virus sometimes works.) Yet we ignored an important scripture: “Your Father in heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45, NKJV.) Jesus is assuring us that nobody escapes calamities. It rains on the wicked as often as the righteous. The sun rises on the evil-doer and the Christian alike. The children of the Kingdom of God may have a different eternal destination, yet while we live on planet earth we are subject to whatever Earth is doling out.
I adamantly proclaimed, “God is good…He won’t prolong this virus!” My faith was speaking but I was overruled. I’m learning, along with everyone else, that while my words have power since they come through the Holy Spirit who lives in me (1 John 4:4), nobody on earth can alter God’s will. He determines what’s best because he knows the future and he knows what’s best. We either believe this or we do not: that no matter how it looks, God is good and what’s happening has a silver lining hidden somewhere.
I’m not at all suggesting we quit praying, either. Some have rightly stated that if the Church had been praying all along like we’re praying now, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Perhaps that’s the point to it all: humble faith in action. Back to the drawing board!
Humble pastors and leaders must be able to admit when they’re wrong in their spiritual predictions. The Bible assures us that while he always tells his prophets what he’ll do before he does it (Amos 3:7), we cannot know every detail with perfection: “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:9, 12 KJV.) We must refresh our understanding that God answers to no one when it comes to his plans and purposes. Sometimes he doesn’t explain himself, either.
Is Covid God’s plan? No. An enemy in a godless land decided a weaponized virus would be released upon innocent people. We’re experiencing a raging storm of the Devil’s plan, not God’s…and a pile-on-frenzy of evil people Satan is using to prolong his bad weather. Political wickedness at depths we never dreamed, violence; financial crisis in churches, families and small businesses; heath devastations and death; a total breakdown of national information streams —we are watching unbridled evil run its course. God is mercifully exposing what’s been incubating in the darkness a long, long time.
The Devil always over-plays his hand. And he tends to do it right before the Lord blasts in with mercy, compassion, goodness and an escape plan: Moses stood at the Red Sea with zero chance of surviving the Egyptian army. But God delivered. Daniel was an innocent man condemned to be eaten by lions and thrown into the den. But God delivered. James, the brother of John is executed and Peter is next; thrown into prison. But God delivered. One hundred and twenty believers are huddled in a room in Jerusalem; their risen leader, Jesus, has disappeared. They are being hunted down for execution too. But the Holy Spirit delivered.
God’s ways are not our ways, but he is good. He has no timepiece in sync with Earth’s, but he is good. Jesus has always been, and will always be, worthy of our devotion, trust and praise…because he is good. If we must doubt or lose faith, let it be in our own mind, will and emotions. Our God knows exactly what’s happening right now. He hasn’t dropped a stitch or missed a single prayer for mercy. Church, we must persevere. Now more than ever, we must give thanks.
Do you have a question or comment for Pastor Adrienne? Send your inquiries to: info@adriennewgreene.com or write to P.O. Box 214, Harrison, OH 45030. For more information, please visit www.adriennewgreene.com or tune into the “Ask Pastor Adrienne” YouTube channel for sermons and insights.