COVID-19 Novel Encouragement Sample

The Cruise to Nowhere

Have you ever taken a cruise? Who wouldn't want this kind of trip where you only unpack your bags once, then enjoy staying put in a nice cabin? Where you have a choice of totally decadent or totally healthy meals three times a day (don't forget the snacks in between)… most people gain around ten pounds! Where you get to sail into exotic ports you would never otherwise visit, and take day trips to weird and wonderful waterfalls, glaciers, animal parks, eco-preserves… you name it. Where you can either make new friends from a pool of thousands or stay entirely by yourselves for the whole time.

But there are also these possibilities: There is the potential of a rogue wave nearly capsizing your ship (remember that disaster film?!) There are seas so tumultuous even the crew is sick and huddled inside their cabins. There is always the potential of a virus spreading through the ship and knocking you out with severe traveler's tummy or worse. You may suddenly find yourself trapped, on a ship that cannot make port, sanctioned internationally and doomed to sail until an onboard pestilence runs its course.

These last two possibilities have recently played out, with the onset and spread of 'normal' viruses taking hold on cruise ships. Now in 2020, we have a new culprit, officially designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as COVID-19. 

Three cruise ships sailing innocently in the waters between the most popular ports here in Asia have been caught up in the drama of this virus. As of this writing, there are over 75,000 identified cases and over 2,200 deaths from this virus, with fears that it may begin to spread rapidly in countries outside of its origin in China.

FEAR can become the main driver for how things are officially handled in response to “what might happen” with this unknown virus.

One of the ships, the Westerdam, with no cases of the virus onboard, was not allowed to dock, and turned away from five different countries, until one said, “Welcome!” Following WHO guidelines, the officials overcame their fears and have allowed it to dock. Unplanned destination, but at least the cruise is finished!

Another ship, the World Dream, had eight confirmed cases, and though it was allowed to dock, everyone had to remain on board until the crew was cleared and declared infection-free. Health officials here feared that they would become spreaders of the disease if allowed to leave too early. Once it was clear that no crew members were infected, the whole ship's company was allowed to disembark.

The last ship, the Diamond Princess, with 3,600 passengers and crew aboard, is still stuck in Yokohama, Japan. More than 600 people onboard have tested positive for the virus as of this writing, and it is feared more will fall ill. They are all held in quarantine, hoping they will not be the next victims. Talk about a trip to nowhere?!!

These ships serve as a picture of our lives, don't they?

Like the first ship, we have all been rejected, sometimes repeatedly, and for unclear or sometimes, unfair reasons. How have we handled that?

The second ship is another example we can relate to: living in times when our lives are “put on hold” while others try to figure stuff out… do we deserve a promotion or discipline? Should we be allowed to go ahead with that crazy idea, or will it be shot down? Is the funding for that project really there? Or do we need to wait until God clearly provides more?!

The third ship must really seem like a “cruise to nowhere.” Here's a virus that has totally taken over someone's dream vacation…haven't you made great plans only to have them disrupted by a disaster, not of your making? Whether it’s storms somewhere else that shut down your airport for two days, a flood across town, a sudden passing of a relative right in the middle of a conference, or a sudden change in the academic calendar…you can fill in the blank.

A great quote is “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans!” True for the cruise passengers and crew of all three ships…and true for us here in Hong Kong, waiting out the run of this virus. Maybe true for you also, as you wait to see what happens next.

How do we handle this seeming random chain of events? With FEAR over what might happen, or with TRUST in the One who has numbered our days?

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who  hope for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You. Psalm 33:18-22

We should have a proper awe, reverence, and fear for the Lord, the One who controls all that is going on in our world. He's the One who has redeemed our souls, delivered us from death, and released us from the prison of sin. No one else can do that, nothing else has accomplished that for us! As a result, our lives are so much more than a “cruise to nowhere!”

His loving-kindness will guide and direct us, fill us with hope, and displace the fear that can so easily engulf us. Those are scary headlines that come at us every time we open our phones or turn on our computers!

As we place our hope in Him, and trust in His name, our hearts can rejoice rather than stew with the acrid taste of fear. God is our present help; He is our shield!

God's cruise gives us abundant life right now, with the promise of life eternal as our destination!

Prayer: God, you surely are above all circumstances, and I trust in You! I pray for all those that are stuck on these ships. Be with them, Lord and help the Christians who are among them to be lights in the darkness.

By R.S. in Hong Kong