Reflections on a Pandemic

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

So we’re in a pandemic now.

That’s uncharted territory for me, except for novels I’ve read, of course.

And despite the fact that everybody says COVID-19 is nothing to worry about, I’d be disingenuous to say I wasn’t at least a little bit concerned.

I’m not so much worried about myself, even though I fall into the dreaded “over 60” category. (I’ll be 65 in September.) I’m in good health. I live in the country. Laurel routinely keeps us well-stocked, so we could “social distance” for an extended period, if necessary. I already work from home. And anyone who knows me well will tell you I’m a bit of a recluse anyway, so isolation wouldn’t even be unusual for me.

Still, I worry.

I worry about my loved ones and friends who are high risk. I worry about the economic and social impact of the various adjustments that are being made to stem the tide of the virus.  I’m a freelancer, so if others are negatively impacted by this, I’m likely to be also.

As a suspense/thriller writer, my mind naturally tends to go to the worst-case scenario. 

And so, yes, I worry.

But in the midst of that, I remember that my God is Lord of the worst-case scenario. The verse above, from the Old Testament book of Habakkuk is my go-to thought when I face uncertainty.

I won’t go into all the details here–Habakkuk is a short book. Take a few minutes to read it–but Habakkuk is facing the invasion of his homeland by the Babylonians, something he knows will cause utter devastation. Yet in the midst of that devastation, he says that he will rejoice in the Lord.

Does that seem strange to you? Doesn’t it almost seem like the equivalent of Nero fiddling while Rome burned?

Try reading the verse this way. Substitute “trust” for “rejoice.”

The reason Habakkuk can rejoice in the Lord as he faces the complete destruction of his home by a foreign enemy is that he trusts in God his savior. And that trust produces joy.

Yes, I’m concerned. Perhaps even worried. I don’t like uncertainty. But my God is Lord of the worst-case scenario, and so I choose to trust him no matter what the next few months bring. And I will also rejoice in him. Because trust brings joy.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Note: As we progress through this pandemic, I’m going to post some of my thoughts and reflections, as well as the scriptures that I find most helpful. Be sure and check back for my latest reflections.

Also: If you want to know more, Habakkuk 3:17-19 is a major theme in my novel Unseen (originally Blind Sight) and also in the true story I wrote with Terry Caffey, Terror by Night. You can order either of these from the book page on this site. 🙂