Cause and effect

As the present crisis has unfolded I have been reminded of the story of Jonah. Our government is having to make up rules as we go along in these unprecedented times and the dire warnings of possible catastrophe have lent weight to their advice on how our behaviour must change.

When God sent Jonah to Ninevah, via the big fish, he was given an equally serious warning to pass on to its people. ‘Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, ‘Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.’ (Jonah 3:4)

I’m not suggesting that the virus is in any sense a ‘judgement’, but might it be related to a certain comfortable complacency in how we live? We speak of “having a wake up call”, an experience which makes us suddenly aware of our surroundings. We do, of course, have the choice of pressing ‘snooze’ and ignoring that call. How much better, though, to leap out of bed excited by what the new day may hold for us!

When the people of Ninevah heeded Jonah’s warning, and so repented and changed their ways, God’s judgement did not materialise. ‘When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.’ (Jonah 3:10)

From God’s perspective – job done. But Jonah was put out. “I told them they’d be destroyed, and that isn’t what happened, so now I look stupid!” he complained.

As we struggle with the social and economic impact of lockdown, I can imagine a future in which sceptics say, “Look, all that upheaval and so few deaths, what was the point?” Exactly! Our actions and the changes we have made to our lives will have had the desired effect: instead of bringing on the worst-case scenario, we will have grown stronger, mended our ways and re-evaluated our world’s future.

Our familiar prayer that God might “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” reminds us of our rights and responsibilities, as individuals, as a nation, as a global community. Many long-established “we’ve always done it that way” habits may well change after this crisis has passed and some of those changes will be for the better. If so many nations can work in co-operation to research a vaccine and to co-ordinate strategies, perhaps leaders will see the benefits of working together into the future. There will be reasons to be thankful.

Based on John’s Wesley’s final words, let Hymn StF610 be an inspiration for our prayer of thanks:

Best of all is God is with us,

God will hold and never fail.

Keep that truth when storms are raging,

God remains though faith is frail.

Jean Armin