Greetings!
In 1 Chronicles 12 we read about the transition from King Saul to King David. The text lists the number of troops and leaders that the Israel tribes sent to support David as he takes the throne. But I stopped short when I read verse 32, “Men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.” There is an interesting phrase.
“Understood the times”—what might that mean for us in 2021 as we start the new year?
More than ever, as followers of Jesus, our task is to discern what we “should do.” We are discerning the changing disaster landscape. We’ve had record-breaking wildfires—and a hurricane season with 30 named storms, 12 of which made landfall. All the while, there is a pandemic, rampant injustice, increased division, and growing economic disparity.
What to do? Perhaps we let Micah 6:8 soak into us:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
I am told the word mortal has one of the most ancient genealogies of any word in English or any other language. We are called mortals because at some point, we die. Wow. That is a reality check. Notice also that the verse ends in a question. It is evident that our MDS volunteers are asking that question and as they understand these times – faith in action is breaking out in hands-on practical ways as volunteers sew cloth face masks, build wheel-chair ramps, renovate a home for mothers at risk, and build sturdy, stout new homes for hurricane survivors in Florida and Texas. We have also made over $800,000 in grants to 174 struggling Anabaptist related congregations, thanks to our partnership with Everence and Mennonite Central Committee.
So, let’s walk humbly and understand these times together. I know we can!
