Immeasurable
Over the last few days I have seen countless graphics and statistical models of viruses and rates of contagion, as Coronavirus or Covid-19 worsens here in Europe. I’ve seen predictions with and without “social distancing.” I’ve seen graphics and videos from the Chinese, from the Spanish ministry of health, from nurses, doctors, and Italian grandmothers. I’ve seen “projected rates” of exponential proportions, and well… basically, it’s all over my head.
I am not good at math. In fact, I’m TERRIBLE. All my brain power is in language arts and communication and very little was left over for computational skills. Seriously, I’m lucky if I can handle any math over a fourth grade level. Thankfully we have calculators right on our phones so I can stop counting on my fingers!
Because of this mathematical failing in my brain, I feel even more overwhelmed when I read news reports that use words like “immeasurable” and “incalculable.” I mean...who doesn’t feel a little scared with the figures being thrown at us daily?
But as monumental as all these numbers are, from every source possible, you know what is even greater?
The promises of God. The power of God. The grace of God. Words like “immeasurable” and “incalculable” are in the Bible, too. But they’re not used to scare us into hiding, clutching our toilet paper and Lysol wipes. They’re used to remind us that in God, there is no lack. In God we have “more than we can even imagine.” We have ABUNDANT life. And nothing can separate us from His love. I love how Ephesians talks about God’s grace: “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (2:7).” In fact, Paul continues in chapter 3:8, “this grace was given [to me], to preach to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ.” Other versions translate these words as: incredible, incomparable, surpassing, exceeding, boundless, and unfathomable!
My friend Richard got his PhD in mathematics at age 27 from Cornell University; he’s arguably the smartest guy I know in real life, and he can’t even do the math on God’s grace and “riches” that He makes available to us. Stephen Hawking couldn’t calculate the potential that God has in His promises. And all His promises to us are YES and MAKE IT HAPPEN! All his riches are sure and certain, no matter what happens to your job or the economy, as a result of panic or pandemic.
My encouragement to you in troubled times is not to focus on graphs of death and outbreak, but to focus on the same God who protected and provided for you yesterday, because He’s the one who holds your tomorrow! And His grace toward you is beyond any algorithm you’ll ever see. His incomparable, incalculable grace sustains us every day--and that’s all the math I need to worry about.
My friend, if you don’t have that assurance in Christ, then you’re in more danger than any graph demonstrates, because you’re risking eternity, not just the germs you encounter today. Please don’t delay in making the best choice you could ever make, repenting of your sins and giving your life to Christ.