Oh look, Chicken Thursday and New Year's Eve!

I have lots of thoughts and feelings as we say goodbye to 2020 and head into 2021. I had plans to write some of them down with great flourish and inspiring conclusion, but you know what? I'm pretty tired of thinking, and coping, and positing what the current times mean for now and tomorrow. They say that still waters run deep, but it is equally true that deep waters sometimes sit still - behind a dam. And, just as there are times for dams to treasure up water, there are times for hearts to treasure up mystery.

We live in a world where many cannot, or refuse to, tolerate mystery. Instead, they conjure the imaginary to pretend they have explained the unfathomable, while mocking those who continue to believe in the goodness of the One for whom even the darkness is light.  This dichotomy of reaction is nothing new. In the midst of his great suffering, Job's wife (herself struggling with the same incredible losses that he was experiencing) suggested that he, "Curse God and Die." Accepting, if not embracing, the mystery of the time Job replied, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

Did you know that the steps leading to the temple in Jerusalem are irregular on purpose? Land of the Bible [dot] com explains, "The stairs are irregular, with both original and replaced stones, which forced the faithful to pay attention as they ascended the alternating wide and narrow steps. It also prevented a hurried approach to the Temple, which would be tempting with the thousands of people here." 

I think we can all agree 2020 was an irregular step that slowed us all down. I rushed into 2020 sure that it was going to be great and that in the next 12 months I was going to "kill it!"

Lesson learned!

I'm not rushing into 2021, but I am stepping into it and doing so with hope because I'm a follower of Jesus and I know that not only is He with me in this massive reservoir of life's mystery, but that also some day the dam will break and what He was doing all along will be clear. And then I'll really be OK.

From depths of my heart I pray that you will step into the new year the same way and I truly hope and wish that 2021 is an incredibly healthy and prosperous year - in every way - for you and those around you.

~ Pastor Tim