Life's Inanities and Ironies

 At a time where youth is idolized and age is often seen as a burden, it's easy to feel like life has left us behind. We turn to supplements like Geritol to chase a fleeting sense of vitality, or we marvel at the fresh energy of newborns bundled in diapers. But what if I told you that the Bible offers a profound lesson on renewal that bridges these two ends of life? Drawing from Romans 4:18-25 , let's explore how Abraham 's story of impossible faith can ignite our own trust in God's unchanging Word.   The Story of Abraham: Hope Against Hope Abraham, the father of our faith, wasn't exactly in his prime when God made His extraordinary promise. At nearly 100 years old, his body was "as good as dead," as Romans 4:19 bluntly puts it. Sarah , his wife, was barren and well past childbearing years. If this were today, Abraham might be popping Geritol pills just to keep up with daily chores, while Sarah wondered if her dreams of motherhood were forever dashed. Ye...

The book of Zechariah , one of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament , offers a rich tapestry of visions, oracles, and promises centered on the temple. Written around 520-518 B.C., during the post-exilic period when the Jews had returned from Babylonian captivity , Zechariah's ministry overlapped with that of Haggai and the events described in Ezra . His prophecies served to encourage the remnant of Israel as they rebuilt the physical temple under leaders like Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest . However, Zechariah's words extend far beyond the immediate reconstruction, pointing to spiritual renewal, the coming Messiah (often called " the Branch "), and an ultimate eschatological temple that symbolizes God's eternal presence among His people. For a conservative Christian audience, these prophecies underscore God's faithfulness to His covenants, the centrality of Christ as the fulfillment of temple imagery, and the hope of His future reign. To explore ...