Opinion

As Christians we are called to guard our hearts from doubt and unbelief, for it can rise up in the hearts of even the most faithful of all Christians. The Lord, as a way of reminder, has preserved the historical record of his servant Zacharias for us to read and understand. Zacharias was called into the priesthood in a time of utter darkness in Judea. King Herod, a tyrant, ruled with an iron fist and had no regard for anyone. He was exacting funds from the Jewish people through the heavy taxation in order to build extravagant buildings. He was more concerned about building his kingdom, and he openly and unashamedly held control over the temple and the priesthood for his own political purposes. He sought to elevate himself as a supreme leader in the eyes of the people as if he was God, Himself.

I find it interesting how certain events have a tendency to expand our vocabulary. I can’t recall using the words such “asympomatic,” “anecdotal ,” and “pandemic” so prolifically as in recent weeks. Covid-19, social-distancing, flatten-the-curve, safeat-home, and contact-tracing are terms I certainly won’t miss hearing or saying. Habits and behaviors changed in a matter of a single day. Handshakes and hugs have vanished. Curb-side pickup is all the rage. Eating home-cooked meals returns as a necessity. Online and drive-in church has emerged as a means of holding congregations together. Schools, governments, and businesses have been closed. Twenty-two million people have lost their jobs in a matter of a couple of weeks. Now, there are plans for how to “safely” open up our economy again.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Sitting here in my home under a shelter in place order with the windows open, listening to the birds sing and the warm caress of a 75-degree breeze blowing through the house I can’t help but think of the very first verse in the Bible.