WHAT IS BREWING? BEGINNING?

The line “winds in the east, there's a mist comin' in like something is brewin', about to begin” is from the movie, Mary Poppins.  Are there times, in the Bible, when this statement would apply?

For sure the statement would apply to Noah. What was brewing was something called rain and what was about to begin was the building of an ark. Can you picture Noah hammering away and his neighbors laughing at him? I bet none of them offered to help. I bet not one of them offered him a cup of coffee or a meat lover’s pizza.

Noah had such a faith and trust in God. He did not really know what was brewing and he did not know when it would begin, but he did as God instructed.

What about Zachariah? I do not think he had any idea that something was about to begin. There he was going about his business. Performing the acts of a High Priest. This was something he might only do once, maybe twice, in his lifetime. He would have taken this honor extremely serious. He would have been focused when something started brewing and something most certainly did begin.

The Arch Angel, Gabriel, came to tell him that his prayer had been answered. Gabriel was not there to answer the prayers of that day. He was there to tell Zachariah that his prayer for a child would be answered. Zachariah had most likely given up on this prayer. From all I could find, Zachariah was in his mid-late 80’s when the angel told him there was going to be an addition to their family. Elizabeth was no spring chicken either. How could she conceive? She was barren!

But nine months later, that something did begin: a bouncing boy was born. Can you image taking care of a baby when you are 90? Or having a teenager when you are 105?

The adulteress woman knew things were brewing and she was in fear of what was about to begin. This story is called the adulteress woman, but it really has little to do with her. If killed, she was collateral damage. And why her? We know the woman was caught, but I suspect the woman was set up. Those “religious” people were still trying to get Jesus and they knew there was no way out this time. No matter how he handled this situation, he would be wrong.

All of this did not mean much to the woman. She was scared. She did not know what would happen. She just knew that kneeling in front of this man called Jesus would be the last thing that ever happens to her. She knew she would die and those stones would hurt. But (that word that changes so many of our actions) Jesus knelt and drew in the dirt. His words then caused confusion. He was telling the men to throw those stones. She waited. Then she heard stones being dropped and those that were with sin started walking away.

The adulteress woman was waiting to die. Instead she was told to go and sin no more.

The line "like something is brewing and about to begin" happens over and over in our lives and it always leads to something we dread: CHANGE. Noah had to change. His life changed completely as he took on a monumental task. Zachariah had to change. He was going to be a daddy. The adulteress woman had to change. She was to sin no more. And I bet each of them were not sure how to handle the change in their lives.

How do you handle change? Do you embrace it? Do you just go along with it? Do you fight it? I hope you embrace it, because change is going to happen. And, honestly, if you are not changing … if you are just standing still … wanting everything as it is this moment … God cannot use you. He needed the woman to stand up. He needed Zachariah to believe. He needed Noah to pick up a hammer. What in your life is brewing and something about to begin? How do you need to change so God can use you?

Sooooo, Stand up. Believe. And pick up that hammer.