Humility, COVID-19 Update and the Human Immune System
Good Morning and Welcome to this week’s Gospel and Culture update, by Alan Vink
Humility, COVID-19 Update and the Human Immune System
Tuesday 14th April 2020
Dear Friends and Colleagues
What I am about to write runs a huge risk of being misunderstood. I know that all too well. But I feel strongly to write it today.
I have been quite surprised at a number of comments I have heard or read expressed by Christians these last few weeks about COVID19 and the Government’s response. Comments like, Nanny State, Government over-reach, needless panic, some measures are silly and in a newsletter written by a Christian leader, “we want the government to make decisions that affect us all based on science and facts, not fear” and comments like this. And that is saying nothing about the conspiracy theories abounding in abundance right now. Then add into this a sincere hope expressed in a variety of ways that things will be back to ‘normal’ next month or even later this month. And trust me the urge within me for normality gets stronger by the day.
We know that historically Christians vote National (though that is changing….but not by much). And that is absolutely fair enough. That said, I can only assume that with a Labour led Government some if not many of us may be struggling with Jacinda Ardern’s Government right now and the leadership she in particular is giving the nation especially given her stand on Abortion recently. I for one can’t tell you how upset I am about that resulting in me feeling very conflicted right now like so many of us.
Yet, my appeal today is for humility and for very careful listening and reading.
No Government is ready for this. Not in my wildest dystopian dreams could I have come up with the present world-wide crisis. And I suspect you are the same. It would be unbelievable if it wasn’t real. The stuff of crazy movies. But it is real.
Our Government is doing their very best to do what is fundamentally every Governments responsibility and task, namely keep the people safe….protect the nations citizenry. Are they perfect? No. Have they made a misstep here and there? Probably. Could they have made an error of judgement along the way? Of course. Could they still make some errors of judgement going forward. Yes it is distinctly possible but probably less so as the PM, The Minister of Finance, The Director-General of Health, Government Advisors and the Government itself learn more and more about this killer virus and all its consequences. And there are so many consequences including the economic and emotional ones. Yes, they are going to be vast and very painful, that we can be sure.
So now more than any other time in my lifetime I am taking 1 Timothy 2:1-4 really seriously………really really seriously. Can I invite you to do the same?
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth”. (NLT)
“The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Saviour God wants us to live”.(MSG)
Beloved, this is a unique time in living memory. It is history making. Let us join with the thousands of (Zoom) meetings going on right now around NZ and do the white board dreaming and scheming as we envision a new world order where the ‘soft’ values of the Kingdom of God become priority, a new world order where people truly come before profits and where King Jesus rules and reigns in greater measure in NZ and in the nations of the world.
Your comments are welcome
COVID19 – Status Update
For NZ figures go to www.covid19.govt.nz and for international figures go to John Hopkins University
Your Immune System. It’s amazing!
Here is a most interesting article about our immune system. Talk about ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’.
This Is How Your Immune System Reacts to Coronavirus And what it means for treatment
Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.
