All photos courtesy of Unsplash
Have you ever heard someone speaking and not understood them? Perhaps you said “Uh?” or “what?”. Was the person using jargon or an acronym, maybe? Now I have probably got you saying “Uh?”
We often use abbreviations when communicating with others. Please do not think of this as a test, but do you recognize these? PC? Police Constable or Politically Correct. PTO? Please Turn Over. ASAP? As Soon As Possible. DIY? Do It Yourself, of course. And a final one, ATM? Automated Teller Machine better known as the hole in the wall of our banks, of course!
2020 will be remembered for certain words and phrases like Unprecedented, Pandemic, Lockdown, Social Distancing and Stay Alert amongst others.
I would like to put a Biblical spin on these proving that they are not really new phrases or descriptions.
Let us start with Unprecedented. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That is unprecedented love. God did not show love with a bouquet of flowers, chocolates, jewellery or perfume. His card is the Bible where. God’s love is unprecedented and unparalleled. Have you ever responded to such love, a love that sent Jesus to die on the cross for you and me?
Next…Pandemic: When Paul wrote to Christians in Rome he mentioned a pandemic, a worldwide issue that remains today. The Bible jargon word is sin. It means any wrongdoing, evil or transgressions. We are all familiar with the word crime. Sin, if you like, is a crime against God. Paul said, “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
The Christian message, the Gospel, says that we need to be saved from our sin. This means being rescued, if you like, from a life of wrongdoing, a life of sin.
Now to…Lockdown: Noah knew all about lockdown. When in the ark with his household, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, but, did you know that they were actually on board the ark for 364 days? That is a long time but the Bible says that God remembered Noah.
Social Distancing: This actually goes against Christian teaching and, as a phrase, seems rather strange. To be social means that you are close to somebody else. Why would you then want to be distant? The Early Church is described as being “together and had everything in common…they continued to meet together…and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Covid-19 put a stop to being together.
Stay Alert: This was and is an important Government message, but, again, it was in the Bible first. When speaking about His coming back to earth, His Second Coming as it is known, Jesus warned the early disciples and warns us in the 21st century to stay alert: “But about that day or hour no one knows..only the Father...For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch" [or Stay Alert] "because you do not know on what day your Lord will come...be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
You have been warned!
Used by permission of Messages with Meaning (26/02/21) Written by Nigel Binding for Your542Day
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