Coronam Vitae vs. Corona Virus (Devotion #12)

CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“The Crown of our Family in Christ”

Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?”

If you read all of Paul’s letters you’ll notice a pattern emerging. He’s always telling people that he wishes he could be with them. It’s almost as if he desires that he could be in Rome, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, and everywhere else all at once. And he wasn’t meaning that he wanted to do a big group chat online and through his phone. He’s longing for that great heavenly reunion where we can be all together permanently.

He calls his brothers and sisters in Christ his crown. He loves and longs for them. Paul knows that Jesus doesn’t ultimately concern Himself with buildings and institutions and programs—but with people. Jesus came to save people and to bring us together into His one family.

Do we not then feel Paul’s pain right now? We wish the body of Christ could all be together. We want to be together with people. But remember that this separation of coronavirus is but one example of the separation that sin causes all the time in this world. And the ultimate answer to all separation is Jesus Christ. He is the Uniter—one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.

I said that Paul wished he could be everywhere at once. But he knew that in Christ he was one with all Christians. And so are we. In Christ we are united together in this world even when we cannot physically be together. So I join Paul in saying to all of you, “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

Elect from ev’ry nation,
    Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation:
    One Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses,
    Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses
    With ev’ry grace endued.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have made us all one in Jesus Christ our Savior—one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. Break the separation of sin in this world and unite us together in the bonds of faith and in the unity of the Spirit. We commend to You all the lonely and those who do not know Christ, that Your Word may work in their hearts and bring them into the joy of salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.