Redeeming the Time During the COVID-19 Crisis

I’ll not try to say anything profound here.  It’s obvious we’re living through something we’ve never experienced before.  

I just wanted to bring to you a couple of concerns that I have for you as one of your pastors.  First, there is the spiritual danger of isolation.  If you’ve been at Providence long, you’ve heard us beat the drum of the vital importance of community—living life in meaningful covenant relationship with the local body of Christ.  The Lord has designed spiritual growth to happen as we participate in one another’s lives (Eph 4:7-16).  To a certain extent, we are hindered in this right now as public gatherings are somewhat dangerous.  However, the danger of meeting publicly is countered by the spiritual danger of being cutting off from meaningful fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ—we do not do well spiritually in isolation.  In fact, Proverbs would tell us that isolation is tremendously foolish when done voluntarily (Prov 18:1).  

Second, there is the danger of inordinate “free time.”  Many, many have been sent home from work.  Our kids are home from school.  The temptation is to fill the hours with…well, things that may not be so spiritually helpful.  Some may be inclined to take their minds off of the trouble of the virus by binging online shows.  Others may tend in the other direction and be given to constant intake of COVID-19 news.  I don’t mean to imply that watching TV or keeping up on the news are inherently evil.  However, Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, exhorts us, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).  Keeping our heads on straight, moving in a godly spiritual direction, growing in affection for Jesus—especially during a crisis—will not just happen like water flowing down hill.  It takes intentionality.  

What are we doing with the hours?  Is our use of these hours, combined with our measured isolation from one another, contributing to a state of spiritual danger?  It is true that God is working out His plan for all the world right now.  He brings life and death, light and darkness, well-being and calamity (Isaiah 45:7).  COVID-19 is God’s.  At the same time, the enemy has plans as well, and we are repeatedly told to beware of his designs (2 Cor 2:11; Eph 4:27, 6:11; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8). 

So what might we do to mitigate the danger posed by unstructured time and isolation from the body?  I have some suggestions.

1. Begin an aggressive Bible reading plan…and do it with other saints.  Here is a link to a plan at Bible.com—“Bible in 90 Days.”  It has an option to read through the plan with friends, allowing for interaction online.  This offers a way to be accountable to others, discuss the material as you go, and stir one another up to love and good works in a virtual environment.  I’ve read the Bible at this speed before.  It was one of the most spiritually nourishing endeavors of my life, partly because of the speed, partly because I did it with others.  There would be no better way for you to spend about an hour a day during this crisis.  There are many other plans out there, as well.  
2. Meaningful reading.  There are a host of great books that you could read with someone else to set your mind on the things above (Col 3:1-4).  Christian biographies (here’s my favorite), Puritan classics (a wonderful read given the theme of this post), and contemporary Christian living (one of the best books written in the last 50 years).  Pick a book, pick a friend, agree on a pace, and talk perhaps daily to discuss the content and encourage one another.
3. More consistent family worship.  As the men pray at Reveille on the second Saturday of every month, there is almost always someone requesting prayer to lead their family better or to be more consistent in family devotions.  Now is a great season to get on that horse.  Read a Psalm, discuss it together, and pray.  If you have younger kids, read a narrative passage, have them act it out, discuss how it points to Jesus, then pray together.  Perhaps the whole family could agree to read the same passage individually in their private devotional time, then later in the day/evening, discuss it and pray.  Use the crisis to turn the family’s eyes toward an all-powerful, wise, and loving God. 
4. Fellowship phone calls.  Many people are interacting online via text, Facebook, Instagram, etc.  Let me challenge you to make phone calls and get into a deeper conversation than these platforms allow.  My wife is “having coffee” with a friend today via Facetime.  Let’s take Hebrews 10:24-25 seriously and use the technology at our disposal to minimize our inability to be in the same room with one another.    
5. Check on/serve the at-risk and elderly.  Many of us have neighbors in the categories of elderly, heart disease patients, and lung disease patients.  We also have members at Providence in those categories.  These folks should not be going out, and yet they need food and supplies.  Why not use some time each day to check on these folks, see what they need, and provide for them, while weaving gospel threads into the conversations?  

We have been made stewards of our time and stewards of one another’s spiritual well-being.  When this crisis has passed, may we be able to look back and thank God that we were faithful.