This Moment

Confession: I’ve been thinking about packing it in–ending this blog. Every morning, reading the headlines confirms what I have quietly been resigning myself to, i.e., the Hand of protection has been lifted and the asylum has been turned over to the psychopaths. Worse, it cannot get better before it gets way worse and I can hardly bear to think about what that even means. In this blog I’ve tried to speak about this moment in time in simple language, using analogy and other creative tools of written communication, in order to stay away from making this just another ‘End of the World’ religious nut blog. 

Trying to be subtle, my goal was to warn without fear mongering, to encourage those with ears to hear and eyes to see that what is happening in real time, all over the world,  to warn that it will not unfold as we have been preached to for eons that it would. How many ways can it be said without actually saying that those who are clinging to the man-made doctrines are seeking comfort in the wrong hope? Do you know what happens when you believe in and place your hopes in illusion? You lose your faith when it dissolves and then leaves you vulnerable. Only those with simple abiding faith outside of doctrine can find hope in the worst of circumstances.

In the wee hours of this morning, I was semi-awake, just conscious enough to pray and ask for an answer, “What do You want me to do? Is there anything else I can say? What can I do for You? I’ve run out of my own words, Lord, and they aren’t paying attention anyway.”

I fell back into a fitful, tossing-turning sleep. And then the words came, fluid, fast. I even stopped to wonder if I would remember come daylight. Well, I did. These are the words that came. Pay attention, or don’t.

When one has lived a span of six and a half decades, there are many moments in the timeline that stand out, in the wisdom of hindsight, that can be pointed to as definitive markers of significant change. However, only rarely do we recognize, in the moment, that something has occurred that turns the tide, derails, or reroutes us. We aren’t astute enough, but mostly we just aren’t paying attention to the signs–His signs, not man’s  interpretations of His signs–when they are given.

I was born shortly after WW2, the war that should have ended all wars. But it didn’t, of course, because war and conflict is the natural state of humans who can never fix themselves, make themselves evolve to good and peaceful, loving, tolerant, non-violent, non-biased, non-racist, all embracing, self-evolved perfected beings. While the ideology is grand and noble, it leaves out the unfixable reality of self-centered human nature. More importantly it ignores the part that is absolutely required for real change–recognition of sin, repentance and surrender to the Creator. Ideologues have been seeking formulas for human improvement, without God, forever. It’s been tried over and over again, it fails and then goes dormant for a bit, returning under another name, with a new generation of eager, passionate followers. Most often it has come in the form of dictatorships, disguised as champions of benevolent, equitable hope and change. Then, when the truth comes out, as it always does, revolution puts a big bloody swipe in the timeline. 

It has also come in the form of convoluted and oppressive religion. When the shiny wears off and the truth is exposed, it retreats to lick its wounds, regroup and returns as reconfigured, amalgamated doctrine, that is more inclusive and hopefully more appealing to the greater masses. Apostate in every way possible. Sure looks good though, good enough to suck in many a foolish follower, who prefers shallow passion to genuine heart-wrenching conviction.

Again, if you are spiritually mature, you see the truth of what is under all this. It is the age-old struggle. Satan has a big bag of tricks. And God allows him to use them to test and refine the faithful. Some pass, some don’t. It usually comes down to self-will. Human nature allowed to triumph. Satan claims the win.

In this moment in the timeline we clearly have reached the ‘so what?’ stage. It doesn’t matter what lies are told with straight face, what egregious, unconscionable acts are perpetrated on the masses while using the most eloquent rhetoric, the arrogant response has suddenly changed from “I don’t know” to “So what, what are you going to do about it?” 

And the answer is, nothing. Because there is nothing we can do about it except surrender–to the only One who is worth surrendering to. The one thing that is fundamental to know about surrendering to Christ is that it is a solitary decision and walk, requiring less from the world, more of Him. But once you truly have, all your bad choices and misspent yesterdays matter so much less than the new day you are in and the possibilities of better, fruitful days going forward. When you arrive at that place you need very little else, and you will suddenly understand that true repentance instantly changes your focus from yourself, your predicaments, your needs, to Him and what He needs from you. This is the tell that defines true Christians apart from the pretenders, those wolves in sheep’s clothing–those who look good, and even sound good, but have hidden selfish intentions of promoting Good for Goodness sake ideologies/theologies that have nothing to do with true Godliness. I make no distinction between the politicians and the preachers.

Whether you recognize it or not, we have reached a pivotal moment when all of the tricks are now in play. As scary, intimidating, and overwhelming as it all seems, just know it’s really all one big delusion created to keep you from seeking the Confidence of Christ where you can be assured that God has this. Hide in Christ, beloved. If you are tested hard, just listen, trust and obey and you’ll pass with flying colors. 

If you don’t understand all this, know this one thing, the truly faithful don’t find solace in believing we’ll be spared hardship or knowing the outcome will be good, rather true faith allows that solace finds us in the middle of being tried and tested. 

For Christ,

Meema

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9).