Ramblin'an' Rumblin' VI
Author: Johnny Wayne BRADY
As I was relaxing and Ramblin’ and Rumblin’ over the latest news, rumors and other misguided statements, my mind went to the introduction to Charles Dickens novel, “A Tale of Two Cities." The setting, in the year 1775, was in Paris and London when The French Revolution between England and France was taking place. Dickens opens his work with the following:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
What, if anything does this statement have to do with the world we are living in today? One only has to turn on a newscast, check out the Internet, read their social media or just listen to the verbal clamor of many in the church sanctuary on any Sunday morning to get the predictions that the whole of earth is going to hell in a handbasket along with the pros and cons of the diverse culture in which we are presently residing. Yet we are in the most prosperous times of human history and in this country needs of individuals are almost nonexistent. Ninety-five percent of the people in America own automobiles, but road rage seems to be in vogue wherever one goes. The same percentage is true with television sets while random shootings on the streets, or houses of worship and educational institutions seem to be escalating. Ninety-two percent of Americans own cell phones. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for the catastrophic events that keep dragging our society lower and lower. The opioid crisis sweeping the nation leaves us aghast, the sex slave trade, especially with the young, does not resonate with sanity. It seems as though hell has released a plethora of demons in the earth to further the work of our adversary, satan.
As we try to evaluate our situation and find answers to the ever-growing descent of human values, notice what Jesus said about living in the time of His coming and the end of the age. In Matthew 24:4-7, Jesus related how religious deception, false gospels and unchristian philosophies will run unabated through the world. Nations and kingdoms will war against one another as cataclysmic natural disasters occur around the four corners of the world. So, Dickens’ introduction to his classic work seems to find just as much meaning today as it did in 1775.
Since I penned this article some time ago, other plagues have erupted on the earth in the locust plague that has hit East Africa, specifically in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia as well as other locations in that region. These countries have not had an infestation like this in twenty five years, as hundreds of millions of locusts in swarms as large as some cities invade the land devouring vegetation and destroying farmland and threatening an already vulnerable region with extreme famine, according to National Geographic Magazine.
The coronavirus outbreak is suddenly threatening another “1918 Flu epidemic” across the world. Although this scourge of the disease has been worse in other parts of the world, we in America are now feeling the effects of this catastrophic outbreak. Life as we have known it in the past has suddenly transformed our lives into a world that I could hardly have seen before now. The hustle and bustle of people traveling the streets of the cities has slowed almost to a stand-still as we are advised to stay in our homes except for provisions and emergencies. Sickness and death from this virus is taking its toll on human lives as each day thousands either are sickened from the disease or die from it.
I am reminded of a Scripture in Isaiah 26:20 that seems to sum up our stance at this time that reads, ”Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” This Scripture may not be applicable to this very moment for this particular disease, but it seems like good advice coming from Health Professionals.
You may be distraught and lonely about being in semi-seclusion, but we are to always rely on God and His promises and redeeming qualities to get through this time.
A song comes to mind that seems to be relevant for this time and I know without a doubt that many of you have had God to heal you or remove seemingly impossible circumstances from you or rescue from some darkness in life with His eternal light.
Look up for Him to “Do It Again.”
[Editor's comment: Wayne is an educator, historian, and gifted writer and speaker. I remember well his visit to see me at St. Mary's Hospital after a surgery. He cheered me up, caused me to laugh, and I enjoyed his many stories. Melvine and I used to see him and his wife, Connie, from time to time in places where we were eating. It's nice to have friends like Wayne and Connie Brady. May God bless them and their family.]
Author: Johnny Wayne BRADY
As I was relaxing and Ramblin’ and Rumblin’ over the latest news, rumors and other misguided statements, my mind went to the introduction to Charles Dickens novel, “A Tale of Two Cities." The setting, in the year 1775, was in Paris and London when The French Revolution between England and France was taking place. Dickens opens his work with the following:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
What, if anything does this statement have to do with the world we are living in today? One only has to turn on a newscast, check out the Internet, read their social media or just listen to the verbal clamor of many in the church sanctuary on any Sunday morning to get the predictions that the whole of earth is going to hell in a handbasket along with the pros and cons of the diverse culture in which we are presently residing. Yet we are in the most prosperous times of human history and in this country needs of individuals are almost nonexistent. Ninety-five percent of the people in America own automobiles, but road rage seems to be in vogue wherever one goes. The same percentage is true with television sets while random shootings on the streets, or houses of worship and educational institutions seem to be escalating. Ninety-two percent of Americans own cell phones. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for the catastrophic events that keep dragging our society lower and lower. The opioid crisis sweeping the nation leaves us aghast, the sex slave trade, especially with the young, does not resonate with sanity. It seems as though hell has released a plethora of demons in the earth to further the work of our adversary, satan.
As we try to evaluate our situation and find answers to the ever-growing descent of human values, notice what Jesus said about living in the time of His coming and the end of the age. In Matthew 24:4-7, Jesus related how religious deception, false gospels and unchristian philosophies will run unabated through the world. Nations and kingdoms will war against one another as cataclysmic natural disasters occur around the four corners of the world. So, Dickens’ introduction to his classic work seems to find just as much meaning today as it did in 1775.
Since I penned this article some time ago, other plagues have erupted on the earth in the locust plague that has hit East Africa, specifically in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia as well as other locations in that region. These countries have not had an infestation like this in twenty five years, as hundreds of millions of locusts in swarms as large as some cities invade the land devouring vegetation and destroying farmland and threatening an already vulnerable region with extreme famine, according to National Geographic Magazine.
The coronavirus outbreak is suddenly threatening another “1918 Flu epidemic” across the world. Although this scourge of the disease has been worse in other parts of the world, we in America are now feeling the effects of this catastrophic outbreak. Life as we have known it in the past has suddenly transformed our lives into a world that I could hardly have seen before now. The hustle and bustle of people traveling the streets of the cities has slowed almost to a stand-still as we are advised to stay in our homes except for provisions and emergencies. Sickness and death from this virus is taking its toll on human lives as each day thousands either are sickened from the disease or die from it.
I am reminded of a Scripture in Isaiah 26:20 that seems to sum up our stance at this time that reads, ”Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” This Scripture may not be applicable to this very moment for this particular disease, but it seems like good advice coming from Health Professionals.
You may be distraught and lonely about being in semi-seclusion, but we are to always rely on God and His promises and redeeming qualities to get through this time.
A song comes to mind that seems to be relevant for this time and I know without a doubt that many of you have had God to heal you or remove seemingly impossible circumstances from you or rescue from some darkness in life with His eternal light.
Look up for Him to “Do It Again.”
[Editor's comment: Wayne is an educator, historian, and gifted writer and speaker. I remember well his visit to see me at St. Mary's Hospital after a surgery. He cheered me up, caused me to laugh, and I enjoyed his many stories. Melvine and I used to see him and his wife, Connie, from time to time in places where we were eating. It's nice to have friends like Wayne and Connie Brady. May God bless them and their family.]