Covid Confinement


What a sudden change of circumstances! What a difficult transition. 

John the Baptist lived freely outdoors. Now he’s confined to four dark walls. He ate fresh natural food; now he faces prison fare. He preached to large crowds, but suddenly he’s isolated. His life purpose was to announce Messiah’s arrival. Instead, he languishes in Herod’s dungeon. 

In confinement, John struggles to keep perspective. The weeks drag on, no end in sight. 

 John wonders where the Coming One is at work. Where is evidence of the Messiah’s bringing judgment against evil and ushering in the kingdom of God? 

John finally sends a message to Jesus: “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Luke 7:20 NLT) 

As usual, John is direct and to-the-point. 

I love how Jesus responds! There is food for thought for us who find ourselves confined—in large and small ways—by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

First, Jesus doesn’t dash to the rescue. There is no quick fix. Jesus’ view of things is so comprehensive that even John’s imprisonment fits within God’s sovereign plan.

Could it be that the current restrictions on our everyday lives are also fitting into the Lord’s grand purposes?

Second, Jesus encourages John to look beyond prison walls to see what the Lord is doing in the wider world: “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor” (Luke 7:22 NLT).  The kingdom of God is making bold progress, even though John is confined.


If we look carefully, we’ll discover surprising ways that Christ is building his Church today, even when believers like us cannot gather as usual.

Third, Jesus’ reply points to the Prophets (for example, Isaiah 29:18-19 and 35:5-6), thus encouraging John to ponder the Scriptures. Even in confinement, John can meditate on God’s word and find fresh connections to his current circumstances.

So can we. 

Fourth, Jesus offers a personal blessing for John: “And blessed is he who is not offended because of me” (Luke 7:23 NKJV). Jesus is challenging John to trust him fully—even when John’s confinement continues, even when Jesus doesn’t do what John hopes. 

There is special blessing for those who maintain faith, though confined. 

As our years increase, so do our limitations. We’re all constricted—more or less—by decreased strength and increased pain. And now, beyond all this, we face multiple restrictions dealing with a pandemic that especially threatens our age-group. 

Like John, it’s hard to maintain godly perspective. But with God’s grace, let’s try! 

 Let’s heed the wisdom of Luke 7:20-23: 
  • Bring our questions and confusion straight to Jesus 
  • Keep alert to God’s work in the wider world
  • Feed our souls on Scripture
  • Seek the blessing for those who trust God, no matter what.



©MarionSpeicherBrown

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