Day 74: The Pandemic and the Omnis of God

DAY 74

Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

WEEK ELEVEN: WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2020

The Pandemic and the Omnis of God

During our two years in New Zealand where I served as Transitional Minister at St. Peters-in-the-City Presbyterian Church in Tauranga, North Island, I had the opportunity to teach a semester at nearby Faith Bible College. The class was Introduction to Systematic Theology. It was a struggle for most, as the younger generations are no longer exposed to a systematic way of thinking through what they believe, as my generation was with the catechism in confirmation class. What perplexed them the most, I recall, was the classic category of the attributes of God, the ‘Omnis.’

PAN: We are now living through an historic pandemic, a word that comes to us from ancient Greek: ‘pan’ meaning ‘all’ and ‘demic’ from ‘demos’ meaning people – think democracy. Thus this is a virus that is affecting ‘all people’ around the globe.

OMNI: Now come other words easily unpacked tracing back to their ancient Latin roots, identifiers of the characteristics or attributes of the Triune God, who is also ‘omni’ – ‘all.’

God is Omnipresent = The Triune God is in all places.

          “‘Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:24

God is Omniscient = The Triune God has all knowledge.

           “… God … knows everything.” 1 John 3:20

God is Omnipotent = the Triune God has all power.

           “For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power …” Romans 1:20

God is Omnificent = the Triune God has all creative ability.

            “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1  

As we continually find ourselves facing a ‘pan’ of undetermined duration, we can ask the Holy Spirit to build within, a deep, keeping faith in our God who is ‘omni’ in all areas of our existence. 

Reflective question: Which of these omni characteristics of God do you most need in your life today as you live in the context of a pandemic?

Reflective Scripture: Malachi 3:6 – “I the Lord do not change.”

Reflective hymn:

“Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” – Walter Smith (1824-1908)

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes.

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious – Thy great name we praise.