Numbers are a big deal with the news these days. And rightly so. The six-figure updates on the number of COVID-19 infections worldwide. Double-digit deaths from the same virus in this country. Two-dozen fatalities in recent tornadoes. Add to that, big splashes of red as the stock market reels down. For good measure, throw in all the data associated with a presidential election year and it’s enough to make the most nimble number counter shudder.

We can all agree that technology and insta-media have made it almost impossible to avoid the numbers—unless we choose to go off the grid completely. In the awareness that may only be possible or desirable for a select few, let’s take a deep breath and consider a few numbers of the generations whose members are among us and have personal recollections of these events.

  • Approximately 675,000 Americans died from flu in 1918
  • About 15,520 people died from diphtheria between 1921-1925
  • The annual death rate from measles fluctuated between 2,000 and 10,000 during the years 1981-1991

It would be easy enough to look at these numbers and brush them aside as ancient history. And yet these numbers are a miniscule representation of a litany of life-threatening events that permeate not only world history but American history.

To say nothing of Biblical history. Many Christians shy away from study of the Old Testament for this very reason. Who wants to spend time plowing through stories of plagues, wars, brutality and enslavement? The obvious answer might be that if we were to study these texts and apply the message we may not repeat the choices and yes, the mistakes of the past.

Apart from that, however, here are some numbers from the Christian Bible to help us in this moment, this hour. [These may vary according to translation.]

  • 160 affirmations of HOPE
  • 95 affirmations of TRUST
  • 40 affirmations of HEALING
  • 530 affirmations of LOVE

These numbers would seem to pale in consideration of the aforementioned thousands and millions. How, in the world, we may wonder, is any responsible adult to believe a mere 825 could have any significant bearing on those kinds of statistics?

Let’s start with the number of those who identify as Christian worldwide—upwards of 2.1 billion.

2.1 BILLION people profess to be Christian grounded in their belief in the life   and message of one man, Jesus.

So, back to our present state of affairs. Maybe the best thing we could do is ponder a few [or more] of the 825 affirmations rather than give so much time, attention, and worry to those big numbers of the world.

Which one will you choose for today? [All Old Testament.]

“For the needy will never be forgotten, nor the HOPE of the afflicted ever fade.” [Psalm 9:19]

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they TRUST in you.” [Isaiah 26:3]

“I will HEAL their apostasy, I will love them freely, for my anger is turned away from them.” [Hosea 14:5]

“Give thanks to the Lord who is good, whose LOVE endures forever.” [1 Chronicles 16:34]