End Times, Question Mark
What can we say in the midst of such tragedies?
I don’t know how or what to write when the world is ending. It isn’t that I really think we are in the END TIMES. I don’t think that is an appropriate interpretation of scripture — most days. It is one interpretation, though. And, it is one that is pervasive in certain areas of the country and world. It is probably more pervasive than I even know.
A small town in my state is under water. People are missing. Loved ones are dead. Homes are destroyed. These days it seems that towns are either under water or on fire. All this happening in the midst of a global pandemic that gets worse instead of better, that has become a political football. Imagine Lucy teeing it up for us. It is the football of Pandemic (including vaccines and masks) and every time we go to kick it, she just yanks it away and we fall on our collective ass. “Good grief!” Lucy was no Ted Lasso.
Some folks seem to believe that the pandemic, fires, and floods are God’s judgement on the world. Others believe it is the natural consequences of human action. More and more, I must admit that it is simply a mystery to me.
I believe climate change is caused by humans. I also believe that what a lot of people call “God’s judgement” is more often than not the natural consequences of our own actions. Does it really matter in the end? Is it really the end?
These things are happening. Why there are people who need to be told this I do not understand. Yes, I know people personally who are in the ICU right now on vents whose family members are terrified will die from this virus. Yes, I know people personally who are in the middle of the floodwaters looking for loved ones and attempting to help those who have lost their homes. Yes, I know people personally who have watched the fires come closer and closer and the sky fill with smoke so badly that they could no longer go outside safely.
It shouldn’t matter if I know people personally, but it seems these days that is the requirement for it to be true.
I also know people personally who celebrated birthdays today. I know people personally who are making plans for their loved one to come home from the hospital. I know people personally who are decorating their newly purchased and first-time home.
It shouldn’t matter if I know people personally, but it seems to help mitigate the fear, pain, and sadness of these days when we do.
For all I know these could be the END TIMES. That doesn’t change how I will prepare for tomorrow. I will hug my kids and thank Hubby for all he does for me and try to bring a word of comfort and peace to those around me. I will thank God for the good in the world and ask God’s forgiveness for the ways in which we let God down. I will wear a mask and wash my hands a lot because God gave me intellect to know it helps. I will celebrate that my family is lucky enough to have all been vaccinated. I will try to be still and quiet and simply listen sometimes.
In the end, that is all we can do. I know I’m not alone in not knowing what to say in these weird times. We try to go forward with as normal a life as we can pretend to be living. We have gotten pretty good at it. And, that is okay. Because there really isn’t anything to say.
There is a lot to do.
