What Kind of Time Are We Living in? A Meditation amidst the Pandemic

　　What kind of time it is! Long before there are any signs of settlement for the political unrest which has lasted over half a year, there is the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in our society. What kind of situation is Hong Kong society in? We really do not want to see any natural or human-made calamities. Who would like to live in terror? Who would like to get in a fluster? However, we should consider whether humankind has no responsibility for this situation? Or, do we have to acknowledge that both natural and human-made calamities are the outcomes of humans’ failure in managing our society and nature well, as in the saying “you’ve made your bed, now lie in it”? This may be the judgment of “giving them over in sins” mentioned in the Bible. God does not have to take the initiative to punish us. When He simply turns His face away a bit, withdrawing part of His providence and not restraining us from sinning, this is enough for us to reap what we have sown and fall into panic and confusion.

　　Humans are truly arrogant and imperious. We think that we can govern our society well on our own, creating a flourishing, prosperous and ever progressing world. We also believe that autonomous human reason is capable of comprehending the mysteries of nature; so, we recklessly manipulate everything with our technology, resulting in unimaginable chaos. The chaos whether in human society or in nature is swallowing up our lives, causing restlessness in our minds and bodies.

The Never-forsaking God

　　In Lord Jesus’s words, this is an “unbelieving and perverse generation” (Mt 17:17). God, however, has not forsaken us, evidenced by the fact that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. In the past, Christ dwelled among us in the flesh; now, He is with us in the Holy Spirit; and in the future, He will be with us in His glory. Christ’s presence among us in the past is a presence of suffering: He went through human death—suffered from the judgment of “God’s absence.” Christ’s presence today is a presence of hope because His resurrection has brought us the promise, namely the end of death and the transformation of life. Christ’s presence in the future is certainly a presence of glory in which everything will be consummated, with no privation.

　　However, in our current situation, with the constant updates of verified infected cases from different media, and people queuing up for face masks, disinfectants and even toilet paper and rice, how can our hearts be at rest with all these endless stories? How much we hope that the life-threatening epidemic will halt soon and we can return to regular life. Yet, who can be sure of all these matters? For Christians, does the promise given by the resurrected Christ—the end of death and the transformation of life—truly keep us calm amidst the epidemic? This is an opportunity for life discipline, yet a tough one. It is natural for us to avoid things that are deadly and to strive for survival. The coming of death, however, is inevitable and unpredictable. So, can the eschatological promise granted to us by the resurrected Christ relieve our panic and anxiety here and now? This is definitely not a simple lesson.

Losing Control and Trusting in God

　　For a long period, humans probably got used to managing our own lives and manipulating nature; we deny contingencies and keep everything under control. Thus, we are not accustomed to losing control and trusting in a God who is outside ourselves; so, we do not know how to live in an out-of-control situation with our trust in God. A turbulent world reminds us of our inability to control; nevertheless, it helps us to be aware that we have to trust in God and learn to live in such a situation with humility. This kind of trusting relationship is not one of urging God to fulfil my desires, but of obeying His will. Instead of following the yearning of humans, we should learn to yield to the will of God (Mt 16:23). Otherwise, our sense of losing control will only drive us to further our desire for mastery, striving to become omniscient and omnipotent like God and bringing forth more significant disasters.

　　Not only do we have to fear God, but we must also abandon our one-sided wish and self-righteous attitude toward our society and nature. Possibly, when we recognize our blindness, we can hence respect other people and living things, understanding them better and approaching them correctly. This acknowledgement is nothing but admitting that we are creatures—limited and fallen. May the Spirit help us discover our true self in Christ, move us to repent and learn to live in out-of-control situations with our trust in God.