Remember just

one year ago? Y2K had many in a dither. The sky was to fall. Water was

to dry up. Food was to be scarce. Bank accounts were to be inoperative.

Many real, real "spiritual" believers were hunkered down in

their bunkers just waiting to be proved right and spiritual. Remember

those folks who told us to store hundreds of gallons of water. They told

us to store enough food for six months. They told us to have at least

$2000 in cash on hand. They told us to be prepared with alternate methods

of heating. They told us to buy gas-powered electric generators to keep

our refrigerators running. They told us, if we were smart, we should have

our own personal stores of gasoline.

Yet, the clock

ticked into the so-called new millenium and nothing happened. First thing

we realized was that the lights didn't go off. The one-eyed monster still

worked. But, we were counseled, "just wait." We waited and nothing

happened. Some church folks got hot under the collar when the man with

the collar didn't call a panic. They formed support groups to hover over

and groan over all the impending disasters to befall the human race because

of an alleged computorial oversight. I think, in a sense, they wanted

a disaster to happen to break the monotony of their lives.

It didn't happen.

But, you do remember all the Y2K mania, don't you?

I remember.

I had some church folks to take personal insult that I didn't beat the

drums of impending disaster. They came back and said, "Even if Y2K

disaster doesn't happen, we'll have lots of food to contribute to community

food pantries." I think what happened, however, that most folks just

dedicated themselves to using their stored supplies for themselves. I

know our church food pantry didn't benefit from a huge shipment the day

after nothing happened.

You may be

saying, "Well, Hatcher is a bit vitriolic." Okay, I may be.

But, I just have a hard time when seemingly well meaning folks want the

local shepherds to jump on board every time they have an apocalyptic hiccup,

a social whim, or hear about a new spiritual fad.

Now, at this

year's end we are fixated and fascinated with the two men and parties

who have White House fantasies. People are growing weary of the mess.

It's about politics, nothing more and nothing less. Personally, I am not

growing weary of it because my life goes on regardless of who is in the

White House. You see, I know who is on the throne of the universe. He

is Jesus Christ. Y2K, "W," and Mr. Yawn aren't anything compared

to my God. Let me quote from Psalms 46: "The nations made an uproar,

the kingdoms tottered; (but) he (God) raised his voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold."

Now, if you

want to bunker down and hunker in, let's do it in God's stronghold.

Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville.

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