While He has redeemed us unto Himself, that does not guarantee a long life on this earth, but neither does it mean we will be struck down by a strain of flu. For those of us who have tasted of the goodness of God's beautiful Gospel of Grace, through faith in and of our Lord Jesus Christ having purchased us, we are to have a different outlook on life, and we get our strength from a living God as opposed to an antibacterial wipe or hand sanitizer.
If God wants to take any one of us home, there is nothing anyone could do to stop Him. I dare say, there is much work in our lives that needs to be done to get us to the mindset of Paul, who teaches, that "we are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). And he could say that because that confidence was in a much higher gain that would result in his physical death, because in that death, he would gain Christ (Phil 1:21). Don't miss the meaning in that. It was not like many other religious sentiments of martyrdom, where the followers practically worship death and suffering. No. Paul's goal was to live for an in Christ whether he stayed on this earth in that old tent or if he died and went to be with the Lord, which he viewed as better. Why better? Because it would mean that this physical struggle of having to live in this flesh, with all the temptations that the raging world throws at us, and with all of the scary things that can happen to use will be gone!
Imagine, no fear of an unknown strain of flu with scary names like "bird flu", and "swine flu", and so forth.
Well, what do we, as followers of Christ do to "protect" ourselves, so that we don't frivolously and unnecessarily contract these pestilences when they come?
We ought not to be careless, and it is NOT sinful, or faithless to take practical, cautious measures to protect ourselves and our families from getting contracting an illness, whether it be deadly or just a common cold.
However, we must remember that we are to be a peculiar people as well.
We are called by the name of our Lord - Christ Jesus - Christ-ians!
As such, we have a great opportunity here, while in the face of widespread panic and unrest and and terror, we can be a light and a peace to those around us.
I encourage us to remember a couple of verses, but remember that they are only a small sampling of the rest of the whole Council of God, every Word of which is to be lived by (as opposed to bread alone).
Remember that our “God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7).
And remember also that our “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33)
And along with these two verses, don't forget that your God lives in you by His Spirit, and while He give peace and sound mind, He also empowers you to speak and bring comfort to others as you explain why we you have that peace, what it means to trust in the Lord our God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and why, while you do take precautions, you are willing and ready to forfeit all that you have for your redeemer, because it could never outweigh what He sacrificed for you, and for them!
On one other short note. I encourage us to read our Bibles. In the Word of God, we know these things must happen near the end, with ". . . famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places" (Matt 24:7). And that's just a few of the things the Lord mentions.
I personally believe we don't have much time left, but regardless of how much time, I think at the very least, we're seeing a preview or glimpse of the end times when the inhabitants of the earth will quake with fear as they strive to survive.
In our town, an entire college has sent its students home two months before the end of the semester; there is literally no toilet paper on the shelves of this town's two major grocery stores; hand sanitizer is unavailable; people are stock piling foods and supplies; and born again believers and followers of Jesus Christ are asking the burning question, "are we going to have church on Sunday?"
And in our own church, the prayer meeting is filled with 3 souls.
I dare say, Satan is alive and well in the world, and he is hard at work! I encourage and exhort my brothers and sisters to NOT allow him to rule your life with fear and unrest. Do not allow him to influence our fellowship to forsake the exhortation of each other in good works.
Take precautions, yes, by all means, but our Lord knows every path of every strain of flu, and if He is not finished with you on this earth, you will not be overcome by it!
Stay close to your Savior. He did not save your for fear. He didn't save your for unrest. He saved you, freed you, liberated you unto Himself, for fellowship with the God of all creation, here in this life, and then for evermore when you're done here!
What an amazing God He is!
Some other scriptures that remind us to Trust in God will all of our being:
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Provrebs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep [him] in perfect peace, [Whose] mind [is] stayed [on You], Because he trusts in You.
Psalm 112:7
He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I [am] God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Psalm 28:7
The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.