HE IS RISEN. Regardless of our situation, Christ is in control. I am reminded of the account of the arrest of Christ in Matthew 26:47-56. In the heat of the discussion between our Lord and a servant of the high priest, Peter decides to intervene and severs the ear of the servant with his sword. John 18:10 identifies the servant as Malchus. Christ rebukes Peter and tells him to put away the weapon, then asks his apostle, “…do you not think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” Jesus was telling Peter, “I’ve got this.” Peter had spent three years with Christ and had seen a multitude of miracles, yet when things got difficult Peter took matters into his own hands rather than relying on his Lord and Savior to resolve the situation. Christ had to intervene once again.

John 18:8 tells us that when asked by those who had come to arrest Him, Christ told them that He was the person they were seeking and asked that they allow His followers to go their way. Jesus was arrested and would soon face Pilate. Once again, even to an unbelieving governor, Christ would tell Pilate, “I’ve got this.” In John 19:10-11 Pilate claimed to have the power of life and death over Jesus but the Savior reminds us of who is in control when He replied, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above…”

The past few weeks a deadly virus has come into this world. It has caused death, financial troubles, fear, and even a degree of panic among the population. We must remember that God is in control in all things. None of this happens without God’s knowledge or consent. We may not understand His purpose but we must rest in the fact that all things work together for the good to those are called by His name. We must look for His blessings in the storm. Families have been required to put their personal schedules aside and spend time together, believers have come to see the value in corporate worship and the need to fellowship with one another, and many in the world have realized just how fragile life is and that man is not truly the master of his own destiny.

It is our faith, our trust in God, and the fact that He has told us, “I’ve got this” that provides the believer with a peace that surpasses the understanding of the world around us. With much of life’s activities canceled or put on hold it seems as though God is telling us the same thing that He told the Psalmist, “Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Psalm 46:10)

Remember to pray for all levels of government leadership, all healthcare workers, first responders, and your neighbors. Stay home, stay healthy. He’s got this.