Pastor's Corner: A Call to Repentance

Published in the "Pastor's Corner" of the McLeod County Chronicle (May 13, 2020):

In the past, plagues and pandemics would have been understood as either sent by God or allowed by Him for a purpose. In a general sense, the affliction would be a call to repentance.

This is not so much the case today with the COVID-19 Pandemic. Today, we are a people of science and reason and we try our hardest to remove God from our life. Others, who claim to keep God in their life, they instead make God conform to their opinions, by changing His doctrine to fit their doctrine. We are all guilty of putting ourselves above God.

Today, plagues and pandemics have causes that can be explained, so God is removed from the whole equation.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has put it this way, “Our behavior has stopped the spread of the virus. God did not stop the spread of the virus. The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Fate did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that.”

Yes, we have done much to slow the spread of the virus. But this is not our doing, this was God’s will.

Remember, God is still in control. We may act like we are in control, but as soon as we claim control, God reminds us who is truly in control.

Maybe now is as good of a time as any to repent of our sins against God the Father. None of us has feared, loved, and trusted in Him above all things. We always fall short. We always fall back into our sinful nature in loving ourselves over the one true God.

The good news is that when we repent, God the Father remembers that everyone who is in Christ, is forgiven of their sins. Our sins are wiped away!

Lord God, heavenly Father, You stretch forth Your hands to us disobedient children all the day and have commanded all people in every part of the earth to repent, and still cause us daily to hear from Your Holy Word the cry, “Repent! Return, you who have turned aside, each one from their wicked way, and from their wickedness!” Through Your love, You do not desire the ungodly to die, but to come to the knowledge of the truth, so that the ungodly would turn and live. So, in Your righteous judgement, You sent Your only begotten Son to be the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. He alone is the Good Shepherd and the only Door to eternal life. Through Your Son’s atoning death and resurrection, all who trust in Him as Lord receive eternal life. Grant us all the true comfort of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.