CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“The Cross and Crown”

Isaiah 28:3, 5 “The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot…In that day the LORD of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people.”

In Isaiah 28 we hear about two different coronas—the proud crown vs. the crown of glory. The proud sinners of Ephraim would throw massive parties, get drunk, and crown themselves with garlands of flower. It was a symbol of their arrogance before God. They loved themselves and not God. So we must ask—what are some of our proud crowns?

It can be just about anything actually. What the devil loves to do is take anything good that God gives us and then pervert it and turn it into something we make into our own personal pride crown. For instance, your family. Yes, we can turn our family into a pride crown. We forget that our family is a gift of God that we don’t deserve.

Or your money, of course. We love to wear around money and possessions as a big crown even though it was all given to us as a gift. Or your brain. “Look at me! I’m so smart.” But that brain was also a gift from God. Or your beauty or your strength or your job or your fame. We can take just about anything God gives us and turn it into a proud crown.

But those all fade away as Isaiah reminds us over and over again in his book. Those crowns are thrown to the ground and trodden underfoot. So now I would remind you of an old Gospel hymn you just might have memorized already. It talks about trophies and crowns.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

It’s a great thing to be thankful for everything that God gives us in this life. He gives many blessings—family, pleasure, intelligence, work, beauty. But we don’t boast in them. We have a better crown—the old, rugged Cross—where our salvation is won. Jesus is our Corona. He is our “crown of glory” and our “diadem of beauty”.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, have mercy on us when we are prideful and bring us to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Keep us always mindful that everything we have is a gift of Your grace that we may use it rightly for Your glory and for the service of our neighbors. Help us to cherish above all that old, rugged Cross where Jesus saved a world of lost sinners like us. We pray again today for all those working in the medical community during this coronavirus. Give them courage in their work and great joy as they know they are doing Your work of caring for people;  through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“The Corona of Wisdom”

Proverbs 4:7-9 “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

For today’s devotion, think basically the opposite of the “dunce cap”. This is a wisdom cap that God gives. Or think of Bill Engvall’s old comedy routine, “Here’s Your Sign”. Instead of a sign to show you’re not very bright, God gives a wisdom sign that Proverbs calls a graceful garland and a beautiful crown.

The wisdom we’re talking about here isn’t worldly wisdom, as in an old, bearded hermit who sits and does nothing all day except ponder. That kind of worldly wisdom has overlaps with true wisdom but it’s not the same. The wisdom that God is talking about is, first and foremost, fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” And when he says “fear of the Lord” he simply means believing and trusting Him.

In a nutshell, wisdom is knowing God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and knowing your place under Him. Now let’s apply that then to our time of the coronavirus. Having a crown of wisdom during the coronavirus is knowing that God is still God. He hasn’t left His place or abandoned His post. He’s not out relieving Himself, as Elijah joked about the false god Baal in 1 King 18:27. All things are still in His hand and His promise still stands to never leave you nor forsake you. You’re still His baptized and forgiven child.

…

Read More Read More

CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“Our Coronation”

Psalm 103:2-4 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy…”

This is the first time in our devotions we’ve looked at the word corona as a verb and not a noun. So in this case we’re talking about the action of God crowning or “coronating” us. Here the idea is that God places something on your head. He crowns you. He puts His mark and seal on you.

Right now, of course, we’re scared to touch anyone. Can you imagine the scene of Jesus and the little children if it happened right now during crownvirus? The disciples would be hushing all the kids away from Jesus for reason of germs and not annoyance. And the poor mothers would have been rushing their little babies away from Jesus anyway for fear that He might be exposing them.

…

Read More Read More

CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“The Unfading Corona”

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

My wife gave me trouble just this very morning that I’m writing this devotion because I’m wearing a sweatshirt that’s about 20 years old. I suppose its showing its age. It’s quite faded and torn with various accompanying stains. But thanks to corona virus I don’t really have to worry about dressing to impress, right? Who’s going to see me? And after 20 years of breaking in, this sweatshirt is quite comfortable.

But that’s what stuff does in this world. It fades. All of it. And that includes us. Look at the books fading on your shelf. Look at the paint on your walls fading. Look at your skin fading. Look at that fading car in your driveway that was once shiny and new. Look at your heart and lungs fading (which is why you have to be vigilant against corona virus). Look at your fading memory.

Against all this fading away we remember the words of Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” and Malachi 3:7, “For I the Lord do not change.” The glory of this world is fading but the glory of God is unfading. So Peter says that the corona of glory God is giving you is one thing that will not fade away ever.

…

Read More Read More

CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“Hold On to Your Corona”

Revelation 3:11  “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.”

When I think of it I’m still in shock that the NCAA cancelled March Madness as quickly as they did. The NCAA’s annual budget is over one billion dollars and almost all of it comes from March Madness. Whether we like it or not, sports at that level is driven by money. Don’t you find it almost miraculous that they were forced to put health before money?

That’s what corona virus is doing. It’s forcing all of us to hold on tighter to things that are more important. Maybe you’ve spent more time praying. Maybe more time with your family. Maybe more time reading devotions like this one. Maybe more time thinking about others and their safety rather than your own petty needs and grievances. I hope your heart has been directed more to our eternal hope in Christ over against earthly hopes that vanish like smoke.

…

Read More Read More

CORONAM VITAE VS. CORONA VIRUS

“King of Kings”

Revelation 17:14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

Take this to heart. Jesus isn’t just a king. He’s the King of all the rest of kings. He’s the boss of your boss’s boss’s boss.

I’m thankful for our “kings”, our state and national leaders, who are working hard to control the virus in the ways they think are best. But one thing that is eternally frustrating about our leaders is how they will always try to get power over each other. Our Governor can’t make a statement on the virus without criticizing our President. And our President can’t make a statement about anything without applauding himself and criticizing someone else. Our representatives jockey for position over each other. Everyone wants power.

But so do you and I. We want power too. That’s the problem. We want to be our own kings. That’s part of what is frustrating us so greatly about this crown virus. It’s taking away some of our perceived power and control. We want to be in charge.

…

Read More Read More

“Corona of Thorns”

John 19:5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”

This crown-virus and the accompanying quarantines and “stay-at-home” orders are certainly giant thorns in our side. Paul prayed three times that God would remove a thorn from his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). I’ve prayed more than three times that God would remove this thorn-in-our-side virus before Easter Sunday so that we can have Easter services.

…

Read More Read More

Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Corona, the beer company, spends a lot of money on commercials. In most of their commercials you’ll see a beach. Their latest slogan is specifically, “Find Your Beach.” It’s not really my type of beer but I applaud their advertising department. When I see a Corona beer I intuitively think of a beautiful, sandy and sunny beach.

But now the word corona has a whole new meaning for us. Over the next two weeks I want to explore this word corona with you. Specifically, I hope that when you hear the word coronavirus you will start to intuitively think of Jesus. The word corona simply is Latin for crown (as in coronation). They named this virus after a crown because it resembles one under a microscope. But the Bible has much more to say about crowns. And very much to say about who wears the crown.

The phrase coronam vitae is straight out of Revelation 2:10, “the crown of life”. It was part of the message to the Church in Smyrna (in modern-day Turkey). Jesus knew they were about to suffer much pain and grief. So this is how he starts his message to them, “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Rev. 2:8). In other words, Jesus knows some of them might die soon and He reminds them that He already died and came back to life! So even death will turn out for their good!

Then He tells them not to be afraid. And this is the part we need to especially hear right now. What’s the worst the devil can do to us? His crown achievement is death. But Jesus already died our death and He rose on the third day. So Jesus gives His trump card, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (coronam vitae).

If Jesus were writing a message to the Church in El Paso, He would certainly remind us also that He is the one who died and came back to life. Furthermore, He would certainly tell us not to fear what we may suffer (loneliness, death, grief, pain, loss of income, etc.). And finally, He would also remind you that He has a crown for you that will last long past any virus.

What God ordains is always good:
    His will is just and holy.
As He directs my life for me,
    I follow meek and lowly.
        My God indeed  In ev’ry need
Knows well how He will shield me;
To Him, then, I will yield me.   (LSB 760:1)

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the King of kings and have won for us the crown of life. Keep us from fear and give us faith to trust You above all things. We especially pray today for those who are working in the medical field to care for the victims of coronavirus, including doctors, nurses, first responders, and all others. Give them courage in their work and strength when they are weak; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.