The title of the chapter is a reference to the 1980's hit song by REM. The classic is filled with references from Lenny Bruce to Leonard Bernstein. It's a fun song and makes you smile when you hear it. Most folks mumble the words but shout "Leonard Bernstein" in unison, glad they got a part of the tune right. The words used here are in reference to the world ending yesterday May 21, 2011. It was my wife's birthday.The only way the world was ending yesterday was if the carrot cake was terrible or we couldn't make a Skype call to our daughter in Germany.
Throughout the week I have been getting invitations to "Rapture" parties and "End of the world" get togethers. I found it mildly amusing in the beginning. In my party days those would be perfect reasons for getting a good buzz on. I hope not to offend anyone who went to a party like these but it made me think. Did you stop at any point in the night and ask yourself where you'll go if the world ends? It also makes me think of who is behind these arbitrary or astrologically planned events - God or the Devil.
Next year the parties are going to increase. I am sure there will be some suicides like in Y2K. Some will empty bank accounts and break wedding vows on their last hurrah. I have to admit that the Mayan calendar and the Chinese prophesies all lining up to 2012 as the end of the road are quite intriguing. I loved the movie with John Cusack. I have firm belief in intelligent life beyond Earth but that's where my conspiracy theory ends.
I do not think John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, James Earl Ray, or Sirhan Sirhan acted alone in their deeds. I also don't think that the creator of the cosmos is going to set a date for our destruction like he's planning a tea party. In paraphrasing, when the disciples asked Jesus when they would see him again he didn't say May 21, 2011 or any specific date. He said that only his Father knew and be ready. To think that the maker of Heaven, Earth and all that lay in between is going to come down like a circus coming to town on a set date is appalling
Every day is a gift. It is also a chance to get right with our God, our loved ones and ourselves. By living with the knowledge that Jesus could return any day, and any day we may breathe our last breath, we may learn to see things from a more appreciative perspective. There are clearly signs to see that God is coming. There are also plenty of them that the Devil is here too. Why do we praise God when something good comes our way and question him when he doesn't deliver? We are all fools not to believe in the Devil. We say the Devil made me do it! Maybe he did. Maybe he gave you that good thing too. Maybe he didn't deliver what you so desperately wanted. Maybe God had nothing to do with your new Coach bag.
God says yes. God says no! The Devil says no. The Devil says yes! We are so quick to say there is no God and so dismissive of the dark forces working in our world. How do Atheists feel about the Devil? I really don't know. If you don't think much about the Devil, or believe he's trying to deceive you, he's working perfectly on you. There is light. There is darkness. If you believe in God your faith will be stronger than the Devil but he will want you even more. He hates believers. He loathes prayers and those active in faith.
I know I am going to heaven. I know Jesus is the Son of God and died for MY sins. I also know there is a Devil. I have to recognize when he is trying to work his way into my world and our world. He loves pain, fear, insecurity, anxiety, low self esteem, anger and criticism. He is thrilled when you feel so bad. He tries to get you farther from the light and the truth when you're at your weakest point. When you feel all of those same things God is reaching his hand out to lift you from the pit, the miry clay and set you upon solid rock.
I know this chapter sounds like a rant. It may be. I am tired of God taking all the beatings for what's wrong in this world and the Devil getting a pass or us not looking into our own mirror for the culprit of our misery. God would not be a loving caring creator and play with our lives like dolls. There is sickness and death in all living things. In love there is heartbreak and sadness. The Bible doesn't assure a perfect life on earth. It does assure a perfect one after we leave this here, if we believe, no matter what the date.
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