We find ourselves in the midst of an ongoing crisis that seems to have no end in sight, and over which we have no control. But we are not at the mercy of the Coronavirus; nor are we at the mercy of our government and the restrictions placed upon us. We are only at the mercy of our merciful and sovereign God! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the place to be. He has us exactly where we are for His purpose and for our growth in godliness.

John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This is a divine “must.” It is necessary for Christ to be exalted, lifted up, glorified. It can be no other way. It is the purpose of all things. There is a severe mercy in all of this. John the Baptist would lose his life for the sake of the Gospel. Now that’s severe, but it was God’s plan that he would leave this planet at the appropriate time to facilitate the lifting up and glorification of the Son of Man at the appropriate time. Christ’s increase was God’s purpose in John’s suffering.

What is God’s purpose in this pandemic? It is the same. His glory is the end of all things, from the smallest kindness we perform to the most devastating pestilence that sweeps the earth. His severe mercy is using extraordinary means to graciously bring more people into His family. If more people turn to Christ because of this virus, then God is proved to be gracious. He uses this affliction to get the attention of those who would not have otherwise given Him a thought.

Pray for healing for the ill, comfort for the grieving, a cure and a vaccine for the Coronavirus. But there is only one ultimate cure, and we know what it is, and we possess it. All suffering and death are the domain of death. Christ, our resurrected Lord, has defeated them for all time. This is the Gospel we proclaim: that God’s severe mercy through the death of His Son brings eternal life for all who look to Him in faith.