As soon as this virus was named a Pandemic, I was given a new role as “Business Essential.” Basically, what this meant was that even if our Governor, or the President, shuts down our state, I am required as a “Mission Critical” employee to come to work.
Seeing this getting closer and closer to a real possibility, I asked our corporate office to develop a letter stating this fact so, in the event I am stopped by either police or military personnel, I could simply show them proof as to why I was on the roads.
For whatever reason, this seemed to be an unreal request to them as, obviously, they had never been asked to do this before. I couldn’t blame them for their ignorance, yet I persisted.
It all turned into a political mess, as I just couldn’t get anyone to realize this is something that will be needed if this were to happen.
They kept saying things like, “this probably isn’t going to happen” or “it’s unlikely this will happen” to which my response was, “What if it does?”
Being the person that I am, always using logic and reason for all my decisions, I thought I could relate this question (what if) to what we’re all going through right now.
I’d like to take a little trip down memory lane to talk about some of the “what ifs” in history.
Adam & Eve
Let’s start at the very beginning of time. Back when God first created man; then woman to live in this new world He had just created.
If you’ve read Genesis, you know how it all began. After God had created the earth, He also created man, and gave him a beautiful paradise to live in called the Garden of Eden.
He then charged the man with being the caretaker of this beautiful place. He also, knowing how much work this was going to be, created woman… to work with and care for him.
Imagine living in such a paradise. Even better, imagine living in such a paradise with only one rule!
Genesis 2:16-17 – “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’”
Well, as you all know the story, they messed it up. The devil came to them and convinced them that, “Surely, you will not die” so, they took the forbidden fruit.
This made God very angry (understandably) and they were thrown out of the garden as punishment and came to know all the “bad things” associated with the devil and his evil ways.
But what if they did what was right?
Out of the Mouths of Babes…
I found a little article on the Internet where children were asked this very question. I apologize for not citing my resource on these answers from children as I was “all over” Google finding other opinions, but I found these answers pretty believable.
“Bees wouldn’t sting, bears wouldn’t bite, and bad things wouldn’t happen,” says Amanda, 6. Also, “You could keep lions and tigers for pets,” adds Marci, 9. “The world would be wonderful.”
Amanda and Marci may have been reading the prophet Isaiah wrote…
Isaiah 11:6 – “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.”
Marci adds if we were in the Garden of Eden, “Mosquitoes wouldn’t bite.” Jennifer, 11, says it would be a good thing because, “We would probably be running around naked without thinking it’s wrong.”
Hillary, 6, added that Adam and Eve “wouldn’t have had to hide from God” if they hadn’t eaten the forbidden fruit.
As we would know it…
What we as Christians do know, the devil would still be taunting us; he would still be trying everything within his power to lure us away from God. But here is what we’re pretty certain of…
We would be walking in the presence of God.
We wouldn’t know of, or fear death.
We wouldn’t know what pain was (childbirth).
We wouldn’t know sadness or tears.
We would truly Love one another and live in complete harmony under God.
Looking at History
Okay, so we’ve talked a little about the beginning of time and the “what ifs,” now let’s move a little forward to the
beginning of our great country.
George Washington Crosses the Delaware (Revolutionary War)
The war at that point in time was not going well. Enlistments would have been up for most of the men in about a month. Many men had already deserted.
General Washington needed a win to build up moral. He crossed over Delaware River in the dead of night and in bitter cold. It took several hours but he reached Trenton in the early hours of Christmas morning.
Many of the Hessian soldiers (German troops hired by the British) were still asleep from celebrating Christmas the night before. American forces won the day taking hundreds of prisoners, and enough food, and supplies to completely resupply American troops.
When word reached the colonies of the great victory at Trenton men began to swell the ranks again ultimately leading to the American victory over the British and our independence as we know it today as Americans!
But what if he didn’t do what he knew was right?
The colonies wouldn’t have been so motivated (morale very low).
The army would have “thinned-out” and we wouldn’t have had enough troops to fight the British and their allies.
We probably wouldn’t have defeated the British and enjoyed our independence as the great country we are today.
D-Day (June 6, 1944)
Code-named Operation Overlord, the battle began on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region.
Tens of thousands lost their lives in this battle. They all knew of the dangers associated with such an aggressive attack. But, they also knew the importance of the victory as they forged ahead for the ones they had left behind… fighting for both the freedom and safety of their families and their country.
But what America and our Allies didn’t do what was right?
Historian Douglas Brinkley claimed, “If D-Day failed, which it could have, we would have had the sad specter (threat) of a revitalized German empire starting to build nuclear capacity. Fascism would have dominated the world, not democracy.”
Well, there you have it…
We would be under German rule.
Nuclear capacity, or the strength to destroy the planet, would be at its highest level.
We would not enjoy the democratic freedoms that we have today.
What if God?
So now, after having looked at some of the “what ifs” in our history, let’s address the big question everybody is asking us today regarding this horrible virus and why isn’t God doing anything about it.
I know I’ve posted this article several times in the past few years as I believe it was a great response to the similar question
On September 13, 2001, Billy Graham’s daughter (Anne Graham Lotz) was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding the attacks on Sept. 11, terrorist-like shootings, hurricanes and earthquakes).
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, very simply:
“I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And, being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”
In light of recent events…terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it all started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools.
Madeleine Murray O’Hare (Wikipedia) – An American activist supporting atheism and separation of church and state. O’Hair is best known for the Murray v. Curlett lawsuit, which challenged the policy of mandatory prayers and Bible reading in Baltimore public schools, in which she named her first son William J. Murray as plaintiff.
It was heard by the United States Supreme Court, which ruled that officially sanctioned mandatory Bible-reading in American public schools was unconstitutional… and we said OK.
…and there were others.
Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped, and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s grandson committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said OK.
Now, we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Proverbs (Solomon) 12:13-14 – “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. Punish them with the rod and save them from death.”
Ephesians (The Apostle Paul) 6:4 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
In today’s society, I feel we have lost what it means to discipline our children. We’re all way too fast to blame the children for the way the world is turning out but I beg to differ… the blame is on us!
Probably, Anne goes on, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with “WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.”
Funny how… simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell.
Funny how… we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how… you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how… lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing?
Funny how… when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think, of you for sending it.
Funny how… we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.
Funny how… home someone can be all fired-up for Christ on Sunday but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.
What if Today?
Today, we’ve all been put under some very tough restrictions. We’ve been asked to stay at home; isolate ourselves; stay away from groups of people; wash our hands.
Although we’re all under the same rules, it is literally appalling to witness, every day, how many I still see defying the things we ALL should be doing.
To those people, I ask…
What if you are a carrier?
What if you infect another, or many others?
What if you get infected and suffer the consequences?
What if you bring this into your home, affect your spouse or children?
By your own defiance, you are hindering the end of this virus and possibly adding to it’s spread. Please listen to the authorities and do what is right! Help all those trying to battle this sickness as best you can.
In Conclusion
What if you Prayed?
How many of you have gotten down, on your knees, and asked God for His intervention?
2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
So, my final “what ifs” are these…
What if you pray?
What if we all pray together?
What if God hears our prayers?
Most importantly, what if you believe?
What’s worse… what if you don’t?
Go with God; be good to one another (obey the rules); always stay humble; always be kind… God Bless (Amen)!
