King David and the Corona Virus

What does King David, who lived 3,000 years ago, have to do with today’s Corona Virus? As far as I can tell, not much.

Yet, I am sitting at home under the corona quarantine, washing my hands, and reading my Bible. My current schedule has brought me through I Samuel and II Samuel, books that highlight the life and accomplishments of King David. His life has been an inspiration to me during this international crisis.

I have been thinking about what we Christians need to be doing during this time. In addition to praying intensely, we can well use this time to draw close to God at the deepest personal, individual level.

For myself, I just want to put away my sins and serve Him only.

And that is where King David comes in. The Bible says that he was a man after God’s own heart. That’s what I want to be: a man after God’s own heart (or a woman, in my case).

In our very first introduction to David, we learn that he was a youth with fearless faith. Whereas everybody in the army cowered at the sight of the 9-foot-tall Goliath, David simply said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the Living God?”

Who was Goliath? He was a nobody in David’s eyes. What is COVID-19? It is a pesky foreign invader which will also fail before the armies of the living God.

As I write this, I am doing my part by obeying the instructions we have received from our earthly authorities. I’m staying home, wearing a mask when I go out, and washing my hands all day long.

But in my private innermost being, what am I doing? I am pursuing a life of righteousness before the Lord.

King David understood how to defeat enemies, and he is teaching me. In the face of many adversaries, he wrote the 18th Psalm. His secret for winning wars was this:

The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;

     according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord,

     and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all his rules were before me,

     and his statutes I did not put away from me.

I was blameless before him,

     and I kept myself from my guilt.

So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

     according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Psalm 18:20-24 English Standard Version (ESV)

During this time of crisis, all of us need to be staying home, wearing a mask when out, and washing our hands as our government has requested. But for us Christians, that is just a surface activity.

Let us all take the next step and put every effort into drawing close to the Lord. Let us pray fervently and keep ourselves pure and righteous before the Lord as David did,