A New Decade

What a difference a decade makes. Think with me for a moment about the year 2000. It’s amazing enough that the year 2000 is ten years in the past. I can remember distinctly sitting in an elementary school classroom thinking about the year 2000, about how OLD I would be when that date finally arrived, how we’d probably be driving hovercars and taking vacations on Jupiter by then. Now that time is already ancient history.

Beyond all that, think about how much has changed since then. In January of 2000, I didn’t even own a cell phone. Now I am virtually addicted to a device that enables me to contact (and be contacted by) anyone, anywhere, via phone, text or email; it also keeps my appointments, tracks my mileage, shopping list and exercise regimen, tells me today’s weather forecast, plays my music, gives my kids fun games to play when they’re bored, supplies me with directions to anywhere I want to go, and performs dozens of other functions. Ten years ago, if you had said, “I’ll Facebook you tonight,” I would’ve wondered if you were planning to hit me in the jaw with a volume of War and Peace. Pausing and rewinding live TV sounded like a neat idea, but not something I’d actually be able to do.

Ten years ago, Houston had no pro football team, we were proud that our baseball team played in “Enron Field,” and the thought of the Rockets drafting a 7 foot 6 Chinese player seemed almost as unlikely as our country electing a black President. Ten years ago, we thought terrorism was something that happened overseas. We had never dreamed of taking off our shoes to get on an airplane, had never heard of a “Department of Homeland Security.” Allison, Katrina, and Rita were still considered fine names for a girl, and Ike was just a former President. Iraq was a place we’d fought once, briefly, and won overwhelmingly, and Afghanistan was full of freedom fighters who’d whipped the Soviets back in the 80s. People kept talking about a looming economic collapse, but most of us assumed they were as crazy as those Y2K nuts…surely our prosperity would never end!

Can you imagine what the next ten years will bring? I know I can’t. But I know the one who can. Our God is Sovereign, no matter what happens in the Stock Market, on Capitol Hill or in my own family. As we begin a new decade, let’s remember Jesus’ words on worry: Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Instead, He said, Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:34 and 33). No matter what this decade brings, that is still the only way to truly live.