I wish we'd all been ready

I was just reading an article in Geez Magazine with this title, an it set me thinking.

I was brought up through my teens in the 1980s. To those who were also of a similar age, particularly if involved in evangelical or socially active churches, those were very scary times, with the imminent certainty (as we then thought) of nuclear holocaust, epitomised for me by Gillans excellent "Mutually Assured Destruction" and Frankie Goes to Hollywoods "Two Tribes". I was also a fan of "War Games" - the film that reflected that era exceptionally well. It is still a good film, but today it seems overdone, it is hard to realise just how close it reflected the times.

I grew up in an industrial city, which would have been a prime target - that bit at least was true.

From the church perspective, we have films like "a thief in the night" and the follow ups. And the song of the title from Larry Norman, which is, actually, a very good song. Just with a rather depressing concept behind it. There was, in some circles at least, some strong apocalyptic beliefs being preached and taught, reflecting, almost certainly, the worry of the clergy about the impending nuclear war.

But here we are, in 2012. The Berlin wall has fallen, Jesus has not returned, we are still around. So what has this taught me? Apart from a deep-rooted fear of the future?

Firstly, the threat of nuclear apocalypse has given me, I think, a rather more jaded view of the current time, a world that, in my opinion, is far safer than it was then, with some rather crazy people in power, rather too trigger happy for anyones safety. Today, we are still in a very dangerous world, but most of the idiots are terrorists, who can cause destruction on a far smaller scale - not to diminish this, or minimise the suffering that they can cause. But I lived through people who would rather destroy the entire world than lose a war.

Secondly, all of the claims that are still made about us being in "the end times", or giving the date for Jesus returning, I can take with a large pinch of salt. We did that, and it didn't happen. It will one day, but we will not predict it.

And finally, but most importantly, I have learnt that working to make things better here and now is really my duty as a Christian. Trying to work out where we are in the Biblical timeline is a pointless task, as is using fear and panic to convince people that they need to embrace the faith. The real message is that this week, I need to make a difference to someones life, in a positive way. They or I may be dead next week, or may not; Jesus may come back tomorrow, or not for another thousand years. Tomorrow is not something I can deal with, because I don't know what it holds. Today, I need to seek and support Gods working somewhere. End of.