Over the past few months, we have heard that these are "unprecedented" times, that what our lives have transformed into is a "new normal" that we will have to come to grips with and get used to. We have heard that "we're in this together" and to "stay home, save lives" but how are we to live in this world that is so drastically different than what we knew only mere months ago? And what does the Bible have to say about this?

In Matthew 16:3, Jesus tells the Pharisees and Sadducees "You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." The Bible is filled with prophecies, many of which have been accurately fulfilled already through Jesus' first coming. However, there are also many prophecies, namely those surrounding His Second Coming, which have not been fulfilled yet. However, the signs are starting to occur, and it appears as though, much like the people of Jesus' time, we too are oblivious to them.

And perhaps even more important is, in light of everything happening, "How then shall we live?" For many, September, with its new schools, new programs, new jobs, is as much of a start to a new year as January 1st is. The past half a year has been chaotic and tumultuous, giving us little time to quiet our hearts, meditate, and reflect.