The Big Story of 2021

In recent weeks there have been a lot of year-in-review stories and reports:  we think back, take stock; we ask what’s happened, and where we stand today?  It’s good to reflect on the past.

But when looking back on 2021, it’s easy to get swept up in the pandemic narrative and assume that Covid was the major world issue.  Yes, there were other key happen­ings, such as supply chain problems, inflation, political tensions, Afghanistan, Hurricane Ida, and ongoing polarization.  But Covid cast a large shadow over every­thing.  To be sure, there were hopeful moments too, like early summer when case counts were low and life seemed to be moving toward “normal.”  But then came the variants:  Delta in late summer; Omicron in late fall.  At year end, transmission rates were far higher than they’d been at any time during the pandemic.

And yet, important as all of that is, Covid is not the big story of 2021.  What’s really big news is God’s sustaining grace providing us with “life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25).  The top story of 2021 is the all-wise, sovereign supervision of the universe by its Creator (Psalm 115:3).  More important than anything is the promise of God’s love (Romans 8:38-39) and the assurance of being kept safely in the arms of Jesus now and forever (John 10:28-29).  Empires rise and fall.  Plagues come and go.  Of course, Jesus calls us to love neighbors who languish here and now; the problems of this world are not to be ignored.  But what a shame it would be if we got so caught up in earthly angst that we failed to fix our eyes on Jesus and find our hope and purpose in him!

So, in this pandemic age, I make it my primary pastoral aim to direct our attention away from lesser “gods” and toward the face of our glorious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As we focus on the Lord, he is honored, our hearts are calmed, we’re unified with each other in this common devotion, and our witness spreads hope of true life to the world.  May it be so!