John Dyrnes attended both seminary and medical school before heading to Madagascar as a medical missionary in 1900. He worked at healing bodies from the many diseases found in that tropical climate and healing souls with the good news of Jesus. He served in Madagascar with the Lutheran Free Church mission until his death in 1943. During those 43 years he only had two furloughs when he made return visits to America. In 1906 he married Sarah Johnson, who was an aunt of Ruth Tollefson, the wife of our congregation’s former pastor, Hans Tollefson.

During his first year in Madagascar Dyrnes had the first of seven painful attacks of the often deadly blackwater fever. He recovered but soon after his house burned, taking with it his medical books, instruments and supplies. Eventually friends in the U.S. sent him replacement supplies. Often, however, Dyrnes had to learn to make do, improvise and make some of his own medical instruments.

One of Dyrnes’ blackwater attacks came in 1907. It caused him to lose for a time the ability to speak or move, but his sight and hearing was still fine and his mind was clear. He heard the ones who were caring for him say that it appeared the end was near. Dyrnes kept repeating to himself the words of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” A profound sense of happiness and security came over him. He was content and confident that one of two things would happen to him: either he would live and get to continue the work he loved to do, or he would go and be with the Lord, which would be even better.

It is the coronavirus and not blackwater fever that is attacking bodies in our day. We face a different disease but we do so with the same faith and hope that Dr. Dyrnes had. We trust in the same mighty and loving God who is able to take care of His children. The Lord has promised: “He will cover you with his feathers,and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.You will not fear the terror of night,nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,nor the plague that destroys at midday” (Psalm 91:4-6).

Because God is good and gracious and in control, we don’t fear whatever terror or disease comes along. Sadly, we live in a world that is getting swept up in panic about what might happen. When fear takes control of a life all kinds of terrible things can result. People shy away from serving, get suspicious and relationships get damaged. It is so much better and more peaceful to rest in the truth that God is in control. In Isaiah 8:12 the Lord says, “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it.”

The world is in great need of hearing the good news that we don’t have to live in fear. We live in grace and we rest in the love and power of God.