Where is Jesus in midst of COVID-19? 

I am always hopeful even in hard times. But these days are no ordinary days; an elderly couple afraid of going out, a laid-off couple with bills to pay, and families whose beloved fell to COVID-19. It is no longer about numbers; the crisis is here with us.  Our homes, cars, churches, stores, parks, and streets are not safe havens–but potential traps of death. We cannot shake hands or hug anymore. We are expected to live by social distancing–at least six feet apart.

I read a post that seems to reshape our values. “Together we are strong,”  today however, “apart we are strong.” I don’t know what to make of such a post, but it remained with me. We like the Prophet Ezekiel, are forced to confront dry bones daily; if we are courageous enough to follow the news. Yes, September 11th claimed many lives on American Soil, but it nothing compared to what COVID-19 is doing. Will America be safe again? In short, Can dry bones have life again? Like Ezekiel, all I can say is “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” (Ezekiel 37:3). 

It is not that I lack faith; it is not that l am weak; it is not that I have lost hope. Rather it is because of the darkness and death unfolding before us all! 100,000 to 240000 projected deaths remind one of those dry bones–they are hard to ignore. Amidst the hopelessness of the moment, our God still is. 

I find the story of dry bones theologically puzzling. The prophet does not know the names of those dry bones; only God knows the names behind those bones. Moreover it is God who invited Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones. In short, God exists in the valley of dry bones. Is it not Jesus who told us that every hair of our heads is known by our Creator? Dry bones are not alone–God is present among them.

In the gospel of John, we are confronted with the story of lifeless bones (John 11). Unlike those in Ezekiel, the bones have a name. But not only the name, they have loving relationships with the Creator and other people. It is the story of the dead man Lazarus–the person whom Jesus, Mary and Martha loved. Jesus was aware of the pain that Lazarus’s sisters were going through. But why didn’t he act so as to stop them from experiencing such pain? Is he not the Life?

I see Mary’s and Martha’s pain as an example of what we are all confronted with. They were afraid for their brother, but they had limited powers to change things. Both of them reminded Jesus of his detachment from his friend, Lazarus. Lord if you were here; if you came when we needed you most, our brother would be living today (John 11: 21). You may come now, but it is too late. You really let us down. I believe this hopelessness and rage from Mary and Martha broke Jesus’s heart–he “began to cry.” Yet Jesus did not end there–he wanted to see the decomposing body of Lazarus. “Where is his lifeless stinking body?” Jesus seems to ask. 

Why should Jesus cry if he had the power to bring Lazarus back from the dead? I don’t think Jesus is mourning for Lazarus. Rather, he is sharing the sacred pain of Mary and Martha. He feels with them and sees their tears. His humanity is finally broken. He is one with them and cries with them.

I am saddened by the relational challenges of COVID-19. The virus is real and we are all potential victims. We may not be infected but we are all affected. Each passing day, we are forced to crystallize the situation with fear planted in love. But if there is something I believe, Jesus will always come for those he loves. He is with us in tears. I pray you and I can feel his presence in our lives and communities today. 

I am not asking you to ignore the unfortunate situation in which we find ourselves. I am not asking to ignore this life-ending epidemic. I am, however, calling on you to know that Jesus is with us; he is our God who understands the pain of sickness and death. But he is also our God who dances with us. Today we may cry with Jesus; tomorrow we will dance with him. 

The question is, are you going to be ready to dance when this crisis is over? Are you going to respond to the Spirit’s power to bring new life to dry bones? Are we going to be the Church together when this epidemic is over? I pray you will.

Please join us for Palm Sunday from the comfort of your homes at 10am. We will lift the Palms knowing too well that Jesus breaks into a life-threatening crisis. COVID-19 is just one of them!