In the Twinkling of an Eye

Things can turn around fast, and they have in spades.

Two months ago Kobe Bryant was alive and vibrant. Sabrina Ionescu was leading U of O to a Pac12 Women’s Basketball title, and likely an NCAA title. March Madness was highly anticipated, as was Spring Training and MLB’s opening day.  I was wondering if the Milwaukie Bucks could win the NBA title.

A little over a month ago Pete Buttigieg got 24% of the votes in the New Hampshire Democrat Primary while Amy Klobucher received 19% and Elizabeth Warren 9%.

Now the unthinkable has happened. All these sports and political quests have ended.

Restaurants have closed, events have been canceled.

Joe Biden (who got 8% in NH on February 11th) now is in the delegate lead over Bernie who won NH with 25%.

Who would have thought CNN's Dana Bash would applaud President Trump for decisive leadership! She did today on air. (WHAT!)

Scripture warns us that things can change “in the twinkling of an eye.”

We don’t remember when these things have happened before, but they have. Schools, churches and restaurants were closed in the U.S. during the Spanish flu pandemic about a century ago in the late nineteen teens. The Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta, seemingly a fixed institution, was postponed this year, yet it was cancelled in three successive years during World War II.

There is something true about the notion that “there is nothing new under the sun.”

Certainly, technology, scientific advances and many things are new to history. The “nothing new” part is about humans having to deal with setbacks and pandemics. We will always be disoriented when things turn quickly and we are forced to change our expectations and even our habits.

The unchangeable one is God, who “is the same yesterday, today and forever.” I take great comfort in the fact that God has seen it all, and that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”                                                                           I John 3: 2-3 (NKJV)

-Bill Russell

Executive Director