Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Thoughts on 2008


2008 was the year of "Captain Obvious". It seemed that the major events of the year happened so quickly that the news outlets were barely able to keep up. I have been surprised to see how quickly whole systems changed and unraveled this year. Political, financial and social structures all fell apart in numerous arenas in 2008 to the surprise of everyone.
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$5.00 gas, banking failures, social structure collapses, governmental changes, and what is ahead in the new year because of all of the things we have seen unfold so quickly? There seems to be an acceleration of events....almost a speeding up of time this last year.
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I wonder what events this year's changes will bring in the days ahead. I've always been a student of prophecy, but not an authority by any means. I know enough to be dangerous, but it is beginning to look like events in prophecy are lining up for the final grand march to the end. It's a most curious time to live. As one preacher said on TV in these wee hours of this morning, "it seems that more advancements in all areas of man's knowledge and development have happened in the last 100 years than in the thousands of years before this. All of our advancements in science that we now take for granted are less than 100 years old." I wonder what will come in the next few years ahead of us as knowledge and its application unfolds....
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But back to this year. For me it has been a hard year. I fell in February and badly hurt my left foot. Most of this year I have been in severe pain, but the details of those events- my first surgery, the handicap days, the gradual healing, the constant pain and the frustration of my life changing have all been clarifying events for me. They have clarified what is really important, and helped me sort through what I really care about and what can be "thrown away."
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In nearly every area of my life this year has been a year of clarification. "Captain Obvious" has come to help me see what is most important and where I need to focus my attention in the days ahead. I think that the reality of my age and what years I may have left has helped with this process as well. It's quite interesting to come to an age when you realize that you don't have a lot of years left of planet earth. In only 20 years I will be 78! It's hard for me to believe that is really true.....I still feel so young inside, but I am watching as the years quickly fly by and my part of history is passing. While I'm still here I want to be part of eternal things. I'm not too interested in wasting my few years I have left on personal pleasures, I really do want to make a difference.....I want to be part of the work of God on planet earth. As a pastor I know I'm doing that already, but I have an intensity building in me that wants more......I can't wait to see what God does with me....with you...and with his church in the years ahead. Now for a little sleep......
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