Covid-19: Everything will be alright

Recently the following hashtag has been very popular in Italy: #andràtuttobene.

This encouraging message basically means “everything will be alright”, and I agree with it 100%. However, if I were to try to explain why I agree with it, I think most Italians would immediately start to disagree with me.

Everything will be alright. How can you say that, from a secular point of view? Will everything be alright even if we don’t find an antiviral drug and a vaccine? Will everything be alright for those who lose their jobs? Will everything be alright for people whose elderly parents or grandparents don’t make it? Will everything be alright for the parents of the small percentage of children who die? How can you say this if there is nothing after death? Will life simply go on for these people as if nothing had happened?

One thing we can learn from this pandemic is that we are not in control of creation. We live in an advanced scientific and technological society and we are thankful for all the ways we benefit from it. We are grateful to all those who work in medical research and in hospitals. We appreciate their self-denial and commitment. But we are not in control.

Everything will be alright. Yes, because God is in control. God is Lord of His creation. He rules over the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 just as He rules over everything else. And even if the COVID-19 were to destroy the human race (which seems rather improbable from a scientific point of view), Christians have eternal security in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This slogan -#andràtuttobene (everything will be alright) - is consistent with the Christian world view. Christians know where they come from, they know why they are here, they know the difference between right and wrong, they know what their ultimate destiny is, they know that the answers to life’s big questions are rooted in God.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 NIV). We can say “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21 NIV). We can say “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1 NIV), and, at the same time, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV).

We can say all this because we know that God is in control, now and forever.

Marco Iotti, Italy. (Editor of English version: Daniel Walker)