Attitude and Activities

President Donald J. Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus and rather than the nation rallying around him in prayer, there are people celebrating this event. The Washington Post tweets out the idea of a world without Trump as president which they later deleted but this is just one example of the vitriol that our country finds itself in.

A situation like this should not even be about politics. The coronavirus is a real virus and while it similar to the flu in aspects such as the death toll (12,000 deaths directly from the virus according to the CDC as of September 2020) and symptoms, it can be deadly. President Trump is a healthy man and a born fighter but the fact that he has the virus should make all Christians pray for our president.

Unfortunately, for many, we do not see the Christ come out but the human nature which is typically ugly. Regardless of how you feel about the man and his policies and/or politics, no life is worthless. No life is so meaningless that you pray for the downfall of a man and when you do this, you’re revealing there is no Christ in you. This is fine for so many who deny Christ and have no religious or spiritual beliefs whatsoever but there are far too many Christians who put their politics and worldly status above anything else including Christ.

Personally, I am a firm believer that we do not get to Heaven because of the things that we do or due to our efforts and/or work. It is clear that we get to Heaven only because of what Christ has done for us and His sacrifice: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). There is nothing else that has to be said of this fact but we cannot forget that while we are saved through Christ, the heart must be pure and this is one telltale sign of a true believer in Christ.

People do not like to hear this and I understand it. People do not want to have their abilities and credentials challenged but as Christians, we must understand that we do not stop praying for someone just because they say something or do something that we do not like. Christ died for that sinner just like He did for the sinner in us. Each and every one of us is a sinner and are not worthy of God’s grace or presence but God offers both. He does give us both but we have to accept it and accepting it means that we do our part which is one reason why so many never accept the offers from Christ or they soon give them up.

Christians, each and every one, have a guidebook to lead them along this life and the gifts inside are not of this world. There is a reason why the old country/gospel song “Dust On The Bible” has stood the test of time. Too many people allow their Bibles to collect dust without ever opening it and this dust does more harm than a virus ever could. We are told in Colossian 3:23-24: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Otherwise, what you do to do it to please God because we serve Him, not man.

When a large group of people are praising the virus and hoping that President Trump succumbs to the virus then we are witnessing devilish acts. Christ tells us to pray and love our neighbor regardless of what they do or how they act. It may not be easy to love them but it does not take much to pray for them and while it can be difficult for us to muster up the courage to pray for someone who has harmed us, we must remember that Christ went to the cross to offer us a second opportunity at life despite the fact that our sins put Him there: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).