No Other Name
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
Where do I even begin to try and describe the cataclysmic change that has occurred in our lives over the last six days? Last Thursday and Friday I had back to back all day meetings that consumed most of my time and energy. Both days I was literally begging God to give me some breathing room in my schedule. I longed to read, study, and write in silence and solitude, but my calendar was packed. Last week I'd never even heard of "social distancing," but quite honestly wouldn't have minded it! This morning I have plenty of time for last week's wish list, but today I find myself longing for community. Dr. Rene Spitzer describes community as "reciprocal rootedness," or a longing to connect with others. Day 5 of social distancing finds me longing for some connection even if it is going to Costco for groceries!
Beyond the newly imposed "social distancing," there are also the jarring aftershocks that we've all felt as life in America, and indeed around the world, has suddenly changed dramatically. Bruce and I, along with many of you, have been praying over the last two years for God to send a revival to our nation. The suddenness of the redefinition of marriage; the deconstruction of the nuclear family; the devolution of our culture; the increased influence of materialism, secularism, and humanism; the sharp division and hostility of partisan politics; and the increased interest in socialism have left us wondering how God could ever manage to rescue us as a nation and return us to our Judeo-Christian roots.
But God is still God and a wise angel once told a doubting virgin, "Nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37) Within a few short days, the things we have trusted have managed to fail us and we've seen what cannot save us:
Wall Street & the economy
Washington & our government
Our jobs or work
Our technology
Our sports
Our money
Our entertainment
Our pleasure
Our education
Our experts
Even our churches
The fact is that nothing can save us from this virus except God Himself. And maybe that's the place that God needs for us to be in order to save us from ourselves. I've thought a lot about the timing of this viral attack on America. Is it just a coincidence that we're currently in the Easter season, a time when Christians typically focus on Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection? For Christians, the reality is that God has already saved us from a virus far worse than the corona virus. Through Christ's atoning work on the cross some 2000 years ago, God saved all those who put their faith and trust in Christ from the virus of sin. The bad news of the gospel is that we can't save ourselves; the good news of the gospel is that we don't have to! Christ came to save sinners.
We should certainly be praying for protection from the virus; for our leaders to make wise decisions; for experts to develop a corona virus vaccine; for a flattening of the infection curve; for first responders and health care workers on the front lines; for creative community during this time of social distancing; for provision for those affected by job loss and an economic downturn; for contentment without our sports, dining, and entertainment options. All of those petitions are worthy of our prayers. But let's not fail to use this crisis as an opportunity to pray for revival, not just in our nation, but in our own hearts and lives as well.
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)