Best or Worst of Times

"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..." These words from Charles Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities" have been going through my mind as I consider our present world affairs. He was writing this about the year 1775, but in reality, it could describe many ages in history, including our own.

Here in the South, the hurricanes and economic crisis have created a gas shortage. For the first time in my life, I've seen gas station after gas station without any gas at all to sell. The governor may call for a 10 gallon limit of purchasing at a time. Ach, what a hardship for a nation accustomed to getting anything at any quantity any time they wish!

I haven't followed the news extremely closely because I find it depressing and I only listen to the radio when I'm in the car. But in an effort to save gas, I drive as little as I can. I'm probably saving us money by not working! But back to the news, I know I will hear chatter about the economic crisis, Bush's 600 billion dollar proposal, the coming election, the gas crisis, the war, blah blah blah. Oh to go back to the days before 9/11! Minus Bill Clinton.

But then I reflected this morning that my grandparents' generation knew far more suffering and deprivation than we've known -- a depression that left millions jobless and hungry, a world war, evil foreign dictators that seemed to be taking over the world, gas shortage, food shortage, blackouts, death, poverty, etc. What do we know? We can still go to Walmart and find an abundance of food! We can still find some gas station and fill up! Do we really know what suffering is? We may come to it.

What if Obama wins? What if we face another attack on our soil? What if Israel is divided? What if Christian liberty is squelched? What if...? I sound like I'm panicked, but I'm really not! Sober, perhaps, but I know that GOD is still King and He will not let evil get beyond its chains. The words to this old hymn give me great courage:

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe--
His craft and pow'r are great,
And, armed with with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strengh confide
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He --
Lord Sabaoth His name,
From age to age the same--
And He must win the battle.

And tho this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thru us.
The prince of darkness grim--
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For, lo! his doom is sure--
One little word shall fell him.
-Martin Luther