I have to agree with dear Kim, dear Zoe (peace to you, both!). I can see where it might SEEM that things are worse but I guarantee you there are people in our past who would argue with you. As the descendant of slaves and having personally experienced Jim Crow, etc., I would argue with you. I totally understand how things may be quite difficult for you and you (and your dear household) are always in my prayers. There are people who indeed have it way better... and those who have it way worse. And diseases come and go, cures are found, governments come and go, some good, some not so much, stock markets rise and fall... even crash... and... and... and... babies are dying in Rwanda.
Even IF the world got "better" that wouldn't be enough. For we would still get sick. And if we didn't get sick, we would get older. And, either way, we WOULD die, eventually. Man might find some means to help us live longer (although, given the age of men from Ad'Ham to Moses, doesn't seem like that's happening), but death would ultimately still be the end. And, if it DID get "better" I'm not sure that a reason to rejoice... but a reason to look UP. Because there's that whole "and when they are saying peace and security...". So, I think it's going to get better, has to. Well, the illusion of "better."
As I think dear Kimmie is trying to share, is that, as you've stated, no man can bring to a place where there is NO hunger, NO war, NO corruption, NO sickness... NO death. And I can say that with ALL confidence. Because regardless of how many "good" people there are, there will ALWAYS be those who oppress, lord it over, and take advantage of those they consider "weaker" than themselves. And particularly not those they believe are physically weaker, but those they believe are MENTALLY weaker... because they are not fighters, not aggressive, not retaliators, etc. Those who believe these to be weaker believer it is their LOT in life to rule over... if not RUN over... such ones. They believe that if someone doesn't have the conviction to fight then they are not "worthy" of anything more than disdain, even culling. And I get it. Many humans are really no more than animals, truth be told. And even more care less about others than they do for their own (survival). Skin in behalf of skin.
So, even if they conquered global warming... I mean, I live in California and the air here now is WAY cleaner than it was when I was a child (the smog used to be SO thick, the sky was always brown!). And we don't have blatant slavery, no (although, human trafficking is rampant). And we don't have to fight many old time diseases (polio, small pox, measles, diptheria, scarlett fever, black plague, etc.) these days, at least not as we used to. And today, we can much more quickly respond to pandemic illnesses than ever before. Yay, for "us"!
But even if we cure ALL of that... again, there are going to be those who will take what they want, even if they have to kill hundreds. Thousands. Millions. That is their way... and their kind.
So, how then? Only one Way... and you know who he is and HOW he is. Is he delaying? NO!!!!! Not at ALL! He is on the Father's time table, not ours. And the Father does not want ANY to die. Not ONE. But even so, if we do while waiting for our dear Lord to return... so what? There is a resurrection! He PROVED it. So, WE know that, sure, we might have to fall asleep (in death), but we won't STAY asleep; however, we can crave the Master's return (and even more, the Day of JaH) and the put down of all evil... including evil people... but about the "wheat"? What if, in our own desperation, we hastily ask IN OUR HEARTS... and some "wheat" get pulled up with the chaff? What... if the "delay" is for one of our own, our grandchild(ren) or even great-grandchild(ren) who have not yet come INTO this world?
Bottom line: don't LOOK at the world, my dear sister. Do NOT. That's what Lot's wife did, whether it was longing and yearning for the city behind her... or even marveling at its destruction. Keep YOUR eye on the Copper Serpent that is our Lord. Look at HIM... and do not take your eyes off HIM... and you won't "see" so much as to this world. Any more than he saw all that was happening around him during his day (and it was pretty bad, what with the Roman occupation and Jews rebelling and all). Look at him... look TO him... and see Him.
If you do that, I promise you: your eyes... and your heart... won't "talk" so loudly. What you "see" as to the world won't override your HOPE... nor your FAITH. He has not left us orphaned or bereaved. As dear Kimmie restated, he SAID:
"Look! I... AM... WITH... YOU. ALL THE DAYS... until the end of the era."
All we need to ask ourselves is whether we TRULY believe that. If we DO... then we KNOW the world is passing away! Yes? And so is its desires. Yes?!
Life your eyes "UP"... and see... from where your... our... salvation comes. Stop looking at the world. There's no benefit in it. Only death (Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14, 15).
You are NOT alone. Even if every other human on the planet were outside your reach... you... are... NOT... alone. You can know this... because he PROMISED this. And I can say, with certainty, that EVERY promise he has made to ME has proven true. Including this one.
If you need to (and it seems that you do), ask for "long suffering" (aka patience or forebearance). And if you TRULY want it, you WILL receive it. Just as he has promised (Luke 11:13; Galatians 5:22).
Again, peace to you and to your dear household!
Your servant, sister, and a slave of Christ,
Shel
P.S. Verrrrry cute, dear Sher'ff (peace to you, luvee, and you know I love pups, so thanks for that - LOLOL!!).
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