• 以弗所书 1:22

上帝使万有服在他的脚下，又使他为了教会作万有之首。

• 罗马书 8:28

我们知道，万事都互相效力，叫爱上帝的人得益处，就是按他旨意被召的人。

• 创世记 45:7-8

7上帝差我在你们以先来，为要给你们在世上存留余种，大施拯救，保全你们的性命。 8这样看来，差我到这里来的不是你们，而是上帝。他又使我如同法老之父，作他全家之主，和埃及全地掌权的人。

• 路加福音 2:1-20

1在那些日子，凯撒奥古斯都降旨，叫全国人民都登记户籍。 2这第一次登记户籍是在居里扭作叙利亚总督的时候行的。 3众人各归各城，办理登记。 4约瑟也从加利利的拿撒勒城上犹太去，到了大卫的城名叫伯利恒，因为他是大卫家族的人， 5要和他所聘之妻马利亚一同登记户籍。那时马利亚已经怀孕。 6他们在那里的时候，马利亚的产期到了， 7就生了头胎的儿子，用布包起来，放在马槽里，因为客店里没有地方。 8在伯利恒的野外有牧羊人，夜间值班看守羊群。 9有主的一个使者站在他们旁边，主的荣光四面照着他们，牧羊人就很惧怕。 10那天使对他们说：“不要惧怕！看哪！因为我报给你们大喜的信息，是关乎万民的： 11因今天在大卫的城里，为你们生了救主，就是主基督。 12你们要看见一个婴孩，包着布，卧在马槽里，那就是给你们的记号。” 13忽然，有一大队天兵同那天使赞美上帝说： 14“在至高之处荣耀归与上帝！ 在地上平安归与他所喜悦的人！” 15众天使离开他们，升天去了。牧羊人彼此说：“我们往伯利恒去，看看所成的事，就是主所告诉我们的。” 16他们急忙去了，找到马利亚和约瑟，还有那婴孩卧在马槽里。 17他们看见，就把天使论这孩子的话传开了。 18听见的人都诧异牧羊人对他们所说的话。 19马利亚却把这一切的事存在心里，反覆思考。 20牧羊人回去了，因所听见所看见的一切事，正如天使向他们所说的，就归荣耀于上帝，赞美他。

• 使徒行传 4:28

做了你手和你旨意所预定必成就的事。

基督＞新冠病毒

若说整个新冠疫情就似一个诅咒，我明白你的感受。取决于你都阅读哪家新闻，中断、取消和社交隔离还远未结束，也就是说我们所喜爱的那么多福分，可能在未来的数月中都与我们无份了。才自我隔离了一星期，我已经在想念我的教会、朋友、家人，和我原来的生活方式（那时我用不着告诉送餐小哥把披萨留在门廊）。

你是否也感同身受？

雨后总会天晴，新冠病毒的阴云背后也有一线曙光。毕竟我们敬拜是一位曾应许说这病毒已和万有一起服在耶稣脚下（以弗所书1:22），也将/必会被用来叫上帝的教会得益处（罗马书8:28）的神。这意味着，新冠病毒必向耶稣跪拜顺服。纵观人类历史，下面的这个公式可谓颠扑不破：

基督＞___________。

旧约里的约瑟不可能预知，各样福分会在历经众兄长的背叛和囚禁于埃及牢房里的无数日夜后到来，但上帝大过他当时的处境（创世记45:7-8）。新约里的约瑟也不曾想像，天国的降临是在凯撒·奥古斯都颁布一个极其不合时宜的法令之时（伯利恒？此刻？马利亚身孕已重之时？），但上帝大过约瑟面对的各样困难（路加福音2:1-20）。当犹大背叛、彼拉多洗手、罗马士兵伸手拿钉子时，彼得、约翰和抹大拉的马利亚只看到悲剧，但上帝却在一步步施行所有计划中最伟大的一个——你的救赎（使徒行传4:28）！

所以今天上帝要在我们中间行怎样的事呢？基督要如何利用每一个感染病例、每一份恐惧、我们生命中每一个迂回，来实现他的计划和目的呢？他又是如何权衡考量整个事件的呢？

基督＞新冠病毒

沿着这条受新冠病毒污染的路，我看到至少十个上帝可能要赐给我们的福分。在接下来的几天里，我希望可以帮助你睁大眼睛，好让你甚至在阴云密布的此时、此地，都能够赞美上帝。

• 花点时间向神献上感恩与祈求

• Ephesians 1:22

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.

• Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

• Genesis 45:7-8

7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

• Luke 2:1-20

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

• Acts 4:28

to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Christ > Corona

If this whole coronavirus seems like a curse, I hear you. Depending on which headline you read, the interruptions, cancellations, and social isolations are far from over, which means so many of the blessings we love might be MIA for months to come. Even after a week of my self-quarantine, I already miss my church, my friends, my family, and my old life (when I didn’t have to tell the Grubhub guy to leave the pizza on the porch).

Do you feel the same way?

There’s a silver lining to this corona cloud. After all, we worship a God who has promised that this virus is underneath the complete control of Jesus (Ephesians 1:22) and will be/must be used for the good of God’s church (Romans 8:28). That means even this virus must bow its knee and submit to Jesus. Through humanity’s history, this equation has never once been proven wrong:

Christ > ___________.

Joseph (the Old Testament one) couldn’t have known the blessings that would come after his brothers’ betrayal and the endless nights he spent quarantined in an Egyptian prison, but God was greater than his situation (Genesis 45:7-8). Neither could Joseph (the New Testament one) have imagined the kingdom coming to earth when Caesar Augustus issued a terribly timed decree (Bethlehem? Now? When Mary’s pregnant?), but God was greater than the obstacles Joseph was facing (Luke 2:1-20). Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene saw only tragedy when Judas betrayed, Pilate washed his hands, and the Romans reached for the nails, but God was working out the greatest plan of all—your salvation (Acts 4:28)!

So what might God be doing among us today? How could Christ be using every infection, every fear, every detour in our lives for his plans and purposes? How might he be doing this math among us . . .

Christ > Corona.

I can envision at least ten blessings God could be giving us along this coronavirus-infected road. In the days to come, I hope to open your eyes wide enough that you might praise him even here, even now.

• Take a moment to give thanks and prayers to God