DEAD YET ALIVE June 13, 2020

One news article mentioned that in many places around the world, many people are having coronavirus fatigue—where people act like they are getting tired of observing all the protocols mandated by their governments, and trying to relax their activities—that some scientists and disease experts are pointing to this as the cause why CoViD-19 seems to be not letting up and many places that saw their previous incidence rates going down, are seeing them going up again.

It is an unavoidable trait of human nature—inherently, we want to be free to do the things we want, to connect and spend time out with friends and loved ones, and yes, we did understand limiting or not doing them these past few months are all to prevent us from catching the disease.  But if the disease means that we won’t see our loved ones physically again soon and sometime in the not-so-distant future, I believe some are trying to risk their health in order to go against that.  For after all, we all die, and it would be very lonely indeed if we get to go without spending some more memorable times with the people we care about before saying goodbye.

As humans, it is but natural that we fear death, because we really do not know what is on the other side, what will happen to us, will our lives now matter there, will we be remembered by the people we love, will we experience a better life than now, or spend eternity in suffering as punishment for not being good while alive.  And because we are witnesses that disease leads to death, more so this pandemic in which every day, the number of infected and dead goes up, even if the number of recoveries are also rising, we were so paranoid for the last three or so months that we were willing to let go of our freedoms in order to make sure not to get sick. 

I start to wonder what really was it that we were so afraid of.  Was it really the disease itself, or was it fear that if we do get infected, since we will be quarantined, we will also be ostracized and driven from society, driven from our jobs and means of livelihood, and in general, be more isolated than when we were locked down?  Some articles have also told stories of people who have recovered and yet, when they returned to their homes, were still treated like they have the disease, and some of their loved ones and friends kept away from them.

It is a disheartening thought indeed, if only there were no words to convince and encourage us otherwise.  We read in today’s devotional in the apostle Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, chapter 2, verse 2, “that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of GOD, and of the FATHER, and of CHRIST.”  Our hope then, begins with acknowledging that we have a GOD, a Heavenly Father, and a Savior in Jesus Christ, who makes us understand things too deep and too burdensome to ever imagine on our own.  These things are knit together in our love for Him and for our fellowman; this brings us comfort amidst all the hardships we face today, and gives us assurance about the things we fear about.

Verse 10 says, “And you are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.”  Yes, whatever happens to us, whether we get isolated because of the disease, or left alone by those we love, or betrayed by those we trust, and abandoned by the people we depend on, we are essentially complete and whole.  We may be alone, but we will never be incomplete, we will never be lonely.

A famous movie line says, “Dead men tell no tales.”  And of course, their bodies decay too, and they have no more hope of justice, of fairness, of deliverance, of communion with the people they love whom they have left behind.  And yet, as children of GOD, we knew better.  We may yet physically die, from this pandemic or later, through some other disease or old age, but we know we have the hope of the resurrection.  Verse 12 tells us that, “buried with Him in baptism, you are also risen with Him through the faith of the operation of GOD, who has raised Him from the dead.”

The world and its terrors may yet make the specter of disease and death hang over our minds, and render our souls and emotions lifeless and full of fear, but we have the assurance that in all these, our GOD will not abandon us.  If He had Jesus Christ rise from the dead 2,000 years ago, how much more will He let our souls and minds come alive with the knowledge and assurance that He will deliver us, He will sustain us, and though we may yet die, He will make us alive again and that, until for all eternity.