Stewardship
The most publicized and expected day of 2007 has passed. So much for the buzz and anticipation! As for me, yesterday was spent in worship, fellowship and meditation (as is my habit every Sabbath). I had the honour and privilege of presenting the first lesson of the quarter entitled: Adam and Eve: The Intended Ideal. It was a very animated study, characterized by active participation from just about everyone in the class. The weather was mild with plenty of sunshine and scattered clouds. It was a huge contrast to the conditions over the previous four to five weeks (with ominous looking cumulonimbus clouds covering the sky and rumblings of thunder), which left most of the midlands (UK) flooded – a catastrophe estimated to cost up to £1.5bn. The ambient temperature dropped to single digit figures during this period, which caused many to ask, “What happened to the summer?”
On 7th July 2007, I celebrated my tenth anniversary of internet-based ministry. Looking back over the last decade, so much has happened, but I reserve the complete testimony for my autobiography. It has been a long and often hard road. I have gained in wisdom, patience, knowledge and insight. Hey, I even have three grey hairs on my head. (I wonder what the next ten years shall yield! Whatever happens, I am determined to cleave to my Lord and my God.) I felt no twinge of electricity; heard no pearl of thunder and saw no supernatural phenomenon, but in some strange way I sense that someone somewhere found what they were looking for. The world was a hive of activity. Some gathered to pray and fast, others to sing and dance yet for billions of people it was just another day in this journey called life. Some chose to have their wedding on this unique date. Incidentally holy matrimony was the main feature of our lesson yesterday. In England there was fear of a repeat of the 07/07/05 - London terrorist attack. But thank God it did not materialize.
Judging from the events of the last ten days, it appears more than likely that this was a very real and present peril. Curiously the failed attacks coincided with day one of Gordon Brown’s premiership. Tony Blair stepped down officially on 27th June 2007, after ten years in office and of residency at number 10 Downing Street. What a difference a decade makes! I may not understand all puzzles, but one thing I know is: the “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth,” are still holding back the four winds. Never before has the world been in such turmoil. Those who study the Good Book will not be astonished when these things come to pass. There is a sound of silence; words of long ago that are written in rock, truth that the shifting sands of time cannot erode, voices that are now nothing more than silent whispers, because they are drowned by the mayhem of modernity – yet they faithfully speak on. As the song says: “But my words like the silent raindrops fell; and echoed in the wells of silence…and the sign said, ‘the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.”
It is in the familiar places, where ordinary folks pass continually, that the words may be read and heard, if only they take time to listen. STOP! Open your eyes to the world around you! The handwriting is on the wall! If you are searching for answers to life’s mysteries you will have to get acquainted with the secret of silence. We spend too much time talking and not nearly as much listening (except when we are watching TV). It is in the place of silence that great discoveries are made. Listen to the words of the preacher: “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity (Proverbs 3:1,2).” Again the Word says: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” “Go and do likewise!” We need to get back to the basics, the long lost knowledge and wisdom of the ancients. We will need to revisit our role as stewards of the planet, rethink our part in the course of the future and rediscover our place within the circle of life (watch the Lion King I).
What happens henceforth is down to every soul and every individual. Man will have to decide if he is not his own worst enemy. At the rate things are going, the earth shall be rendered uninhabitable in the not too distant future. I recommend Kenny Rogers’ song – ‘The Last Ten Years.’ “It’s been quite a trip! Over thirty-six hundred spins around, without a cosmic slip. But within the realm, of our atmosphere, we’re about as out of whack as we’ve ever been in a million years…but we best beware, there’s a brand new fight you see…we even lost superman.” It’s good food for thought. We had Y2K, 9/11, Shock and Awe (also known as rapid dominance) acts of terrorism around the globe, Columbine High School Massacre and of course the Virginia Tech Carnage. The Harry Potter phenomenon has been mesmerizing the world for the last ten years. The seventh and final book – ‘Harry Porter and the Deathly Hallows’ – is supposed to be released globally, on 21st July 2007 around midnight. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling. Joanne Rowling certainly knows what she’s doing. O how fashionable and universal sorcery has become!
There has been an increase in: conspiracy theories, scams, swindles, corruption, crime, divorce, immorality, political crises, wars and rumours of war, accidents by land, air and sea, drought, famine, starvation, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, typhoons, thunderstorms, tsunamis and the list goes on. An explosion of high tech gadgets and machines has revolutionized the way we communicate, travel and live. The word is acceleration. We are in the Fast Forward Mode! “What is going to happen next is anyone’s guess.” The recent disaster in the United Kingdom is an eye opener. As one resident in the devastated areas said, thirty days of rain came down in one day. We are living in very volatile and ephemeral times. During the 18hrs News on BBC1 sometime last week, speaking of climate change, a presenter asked a weatherman whether it was safe to conclude that we should expect the unexpected. His answer was both chilling and unequivocal and I quote: “We should expect the expected.” What he meant was, the facts are glaringly obvious. It is not a question of if but when. The destruction to the environment is indeed far-gone. Many will unfortunately choose to play a waiting game. While I am on the subject, I wish to add that nature is well equipped to handle natural waste, but not synthetic, industrial and nuclear rubbish.
I wish to conclude my write-up with a list of the highlights of 07/07/07: · Sabbath – Exodus 20:8-11 · Operation Global Rain – Prayer movement organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church · Start date of crusade in Nottingham – Conducted by the SDA Church – Key Speaker C. Kabanje · The Call Nashville – Prayer meeting organized by Pentecostal Churches · Live Earth – A concert held in eight countries around the world · Lisbon Portugal Ceremony - Naming of the new Seven Wonders of the World · New York City – A gathering for you-tubers · Wimbledon 2007 – From 25 June to 8 July · Wreath laying ceremony on the second anniversary of 07/07- in a small memorial garden outside King's Cross train station The list above is by no means exhaustive. So many other functions, too numerous to mention, took place yesterday. Where were you? What did you do? This marks the end of a fruitful decade as touching my ministry. And I close my Journal with these last words: The winds of change will keep blowing, tables shall keep turning, and the earth shall spin as long as day and night continues (provided that the world endures). We cannot change the laws of nature but we can change ourselves. This we ought to bear in mind always, that there will be a day of reckoning. Let us all be responsible citizens of the global community. DCM – Sunday, 08/07/07 Time:08:08:08: PM (GMT) Excerpt from My Spiritual Journal
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