Ever had one of those days when things keep going wrong? By the time you get to incident number three, you say to Satan's little helper "enough, get off my case and go pester someone else".
The batteries in my clock and watch had oddly decided to run down together. They hadn't stopped completely but were running three quarters of an hour late. They needed replacing or recharging, rather like their owner. I had missed my hourly bus service and my schedule had been severely disrupted.
"Never mind" I advised myself "just get on with it" I planned walking to the main road where there would surely be a more frequent bus service, but I would still have some time to kill. I grabbed my small leather travel bible. Might as well use the opportunity to study.
My original purchase of this bible was made a few weeks before a trip to Israel. It did get a slight airing in the precious free time before hitting the sack totally exhausted after a very pressured itinerary. We completed our study session with a prayer for strength to get through the next day. Thankfully we were still laughing and loving every minute. After all we were the only seniors on a coach consisting mainly of young couples and singles who seemed to thrive on heat and information overload.
Our additional blessing was a noisy air conditioning unit that hummed incessantly throughout the night.
That and the fact that my dearest Christian friend, who went out like a light as soon as her head touched her hotel pillow, had her best kept secret revealed. The night of the dreaded snorer was about to begin. For brief moments throughout the wee small hours blessed relief and then just as I was about to drift off she roared into action again. Small wonder anything was actually retained in my memory banks allowing for the 6.30am wake up call and packed daily schedule.
The guide on our coach from the airport did warn his captive audience "this is not a holiday, we are going to kill you". He came so very close, but neither of us had survived to state pension status without battles, this would just be one more hurdle.
But I digress. As I opened the small bible the pages parted at Isaiah because at some juncture I must have placed a small piece of card there as an indication of progress.
My gaze immediately fell on 33 - 17
Your eyes will see the King in his beauty,
they will behold a land that stretches far away.
I began reading at the beginning of Isaiah 33 and on reaching verses 7 - 8 it was strange to realise this could have been written about present day Syria. The "peace envoys" in his prophesy didn't appear to be having much influence either. He warns of the coming Wrath of God but there is also encouragement:
33 - Verse 15 - 16
Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly,
who despise the gain of oppression,
who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it,
who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed,
and shut their eyes from looking on evil,
they will live on the heights;
their refuge will be the fortresses of rocks;
their food will be supplied, their water assured.
These are dangerous times and particularly so for the weak and vulnerable shown only too vividly by the appalling pictures on the media of a badly beaten ninety year old lady. We are warned to be "as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves" The latest trick being the £20 note. Twice recently I was given the wrong change. "Excuse me" I cautioned "I gave you a £20 note". "Oh - so you did" replied the "caught at it" predator.
Unless all the lights are on, or the lift goes to the top floor, humour appreciated only by those who can laugh at themselves and the ever increasing demise of brain cells, we must take every possible precaution to thwart the perpetrator. Just start witnessing, there is nothing quite like a good witnessing to get rid of a potential threat.
Despite the fact biblical prophets actually forewarned the people, it would appear very few listened. Mankind in general does not appear to learn from past mistakes. So round and round we go UNTIL.
BARUCH HA BA B'SHEM ADONAI.
YOURS IS THE KINGDOM THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER
and we all say AMEN.
