in 1918 following the Spanish Flu epidemic, Frances J. Grimke preached a sermon with some reflections on what Christians should have learned from the experience. His last paragraph was a great summary and would serve us well as we go through this Coronavirus situation:
If, as the result of such examination, we find that we did not get out of our religion very much help, in bracing us up under the strain through which we have been passing, then we know that there is something wrong; either we have no faith at all, or it is very weak, and therefore that we need to give a little more attention to our spiritual condition than we have been giving. It shows that we are running down spiritually. Or, if we find that we were helped, that our fears were allayed as we thought of our relations to God and to His Son Jesus Christ, then we have an additional reason why we should cling all the closer to Him, and why we should be all the more earnest in our efforts to serve Him. We ought to come of this epidemic more determined than ever to run with patience the race that is set before us; more determined than ever to make heaven our home. And this I trust is the purpose, the determination of us all.
Let us all draw near to God in simple faith. Let us reconsecrate ourselves, all of us, to Him; let us all make up our minds to be better Christians.