Omicron!
Just two days ago the World Health Organization announced a new Greek alphabet-based system to name COVID-19 variants. The UK B.1.1.7 will now be known as the Alpha variant. The South African B.1.351 becomes the Beta variant, and the India B.1.617.2 variant will now be referred to as Delta. Numerous other variants of lesser concern have emerged since these but only a few are of ongoing concern.
Alpha, beta, gamma, delta and omicron are considered “variants of concern,” lambda and mu are “variants of interest,” kappa, iota and eta were variants of interest but have now been downgraded to join epsilon, zeta and theta as “variants under monitoring.” Omicron is the 13th variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the world awaits the details as to its danger.
How are you holding up? In this season of Hope in Christ, of Peace on earth, of Joy to the world, and of the amazing agapé Love of God, does your anchor hold in these storms of life… in the straits of fear… through the morning light?*
Our world is in upheaval: floods, fires, falsehoods, rebellion, perversion, pandemic! God is clearly calling us to look to Him. He warned us of days such as these. He said, “there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes” (Matt. 24:7, KJV), and He said these would appear with ever greater frequency and intensity… like birth pains… “the beginning of birth pains,” He said. From here on in things only get worse!
But then He said this: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28). The destruction of a womb is no loss when the birth of a new life results. And God is making something new. Since the fall of mankind, and if we could comprehend it, even before that, God has been making a new thing. Isaiah announced: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isa. 43:19).
Those who do see it rejoice!
Press on…
* We Have an Anchor, Priscilla J. Owens, 1882
To hear this past Sunday’s message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.
thebrokenrunner 