Joshua Hawk

COVID-19 continues to spread showing no signs of slowing down as The United States has become the first country to hit 100,000 confirmed cases. In response to the virus, states have gone into a virtual lockdown while others contemplate similar decisions. In the state of Texas, where I live, all nonessential businesses have been closed until further notice and earlier today the mayor of my hometown has announced a stay-at-home order. Despite the panic and crisis, I believe the message God has for the church of America is still the same – RETURN TO THE LORD.

Being an American is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense we don’t have to worry about our religious freedoms being infringed upon and we don’t have to worry about the basic needs of humanity being met in our lives. At least for now. Despite being a blessed nation, Americans are some of the most empty people on this earth. In our own self-sufficiency our nation has become independent of God. We may not have any need for anything but the irony is we are a needy people in the sense we desperately need God. Our self-sufficiency is our curse!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my country but let’s be honest; The United States of America is arguably one of the most idolatrous nations on earth. If there’s one thing Americans love it’s entertainment. The life of the everyday American is generally saturated with the indulgence of entertainment whether it be music, sports, movies, the internet, or social outings. It is mind boggling how many hours a day the average American will spend scrolling through social media. Entire evenings and weekends are easily blown binge watching shows on Netflix, Hulu, or on Disney +. Teenagers and young adult men waste dozens of hours a week staring at a monitor and mashing buttons on a Playstation or Xbox controller. Sports fanatics squander their Saturday’s watching college sports and kill Sunday afternoons watching the NFL. Friends often get together to have community with each other at a local Starbucks or movie theater. So much time is wasted on these things but when it comes to God, most Americans will say their lives are too busy.

With COVID-19, all sporting events, including March Madness, have come to a screeching halt. Theaters around the country have closed their doors. Concerts have been postponed indefinitely. Social outings have been hindered due to social distancing and lockdowns. And with the influx of workers working from home and students continuing their education online, popular streaming services and online gaming networks are starting to see bottlenecking because of increased internet traffic. Considering entertainment is the most prevalent form of idolatry in the United States, perhaps the current circumstances aren’t so coincidental after all. Perhaps God is purifying the church of America of her idolatrous ways.

When I think of purifying, I can’t help but think of Moses. Moses was a prince of Egypt. When word got around he killed a fellow Egyptian, he fled Egypt leaving behind the only thing he knew – a luxurious lifestyle and the abundance of food and wealth. Moses went from royalty living in the Fertile Crescent of the Nile to shepherd living in the harsh desert of Midian. Moses lived in the desert for FORTY years before he had his first encounter with God at the burning bush. The reason it took so long? It took that long to get Egypt and the world out of Moses; forty years to develop a trustworthy man; forty years to bring a man to total dependance upon God. What will it take to get America and the world out of you and I? How long will it take before God can find trustworthy men and women in America to be His chosen vessels for authentic revival? How long will it take for American men and women to have total dependance upon God? I pray it doesn’t take me forty years! If this doesn’t grab our attention now, many of us will miss what God is trying to accomplish in His people through this COVID-19 pandemic.

If you don’t see it yet, God has stripped away the idol of entertainment from the American church by force. American Christians have tightly clutched onto this junk and for too long it has hindered relationship with Almighty God. Sadly most of us either loved this garbage too much to let go of it by choice or simply didn’t know it was a problem. God’s intervention during this time is proof of His grace! With Americans trapped in their homes with plenty of free time, American Christians can no longer use “busyness” as an excuse for not seeking God. God has given us a precious gift – time to spend in His presence.

My fellow Christians, please do not waste this time nor blow this opportunity to catch up on your shows. Use this time to pray to God. Use this time to fast. Break open that Bible you haven’t picked up in months or even years. God is wanting to purify us all! I implore you, when this pandemic is finally behind us, please DO NOT return to the garbage God is wanting to rid the American church of. Seek the Lord while He can be found. Return to the Lord in repentance. The window of opportunity is wide open but don’t wait too long because there might not be another chance.

“For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV