2010
Soap Box Archives
Temporary
Quarters
In this day of instant news coverage with immediate graphic television
images of the natural and unnatural catastrophes we face, with communications
capabilities to the point that the whole world is visible via satellite
as media correspondents around the planet file their reports of weather,
wars and acts of terror, we live in a boiling pot of anxiety and fear.
Tornados in Montana, floods in Tennessee and Arkansas, the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, the oil spill in the Gulf, fear of loss of jobs, fear
of terror attack, fear of financial meltdown, out of control illegal
immigration and the list goes on and on.
Daily we are inundated with bad news with seldom a break in the action
as 24-hour cable outlets keep a running tab on the horror that goes
on unabated around the world.
Old enemies are rattling their sabers again, and new ones just await
a chance to do us harm.
The government seems impotent and the institutions we once depended
on seem unwilling or powerless to do anything about the catastrophic
events that are happening on a daily basis, the oil leak in the Gulf
and the debacle at the border being just two examples of their failings.
The fact is that the global upheaval we face is far beyond the hands
of mortal man. They have grown to unheard proportions and will only
become more terrifying as time goes on.
Well folks, I have some great news for you; that is for you who trust
in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said that He'd never forsake us and His word is pure gold and
eternal. Just think of that, no matter how bad things get God will never
forsake us, He will always take care of His own.
Sometimes I'll get so flustered by all the bad news and the inability
of man to deal with it that it's downright despairing. I get so caught
up in the frantic flow of things that I put my eyes on frail human beings
and our feeble attempts to deal with the myriad of terrible problems
that plague mankind.
That's when I have to remember that the God I serve is the Master of
the Universe, that He loves me, that He proved it by sacrificing His
own Son for the forgiveness of our sins and that He's promised to never
leave me alone.
If God be for me, who can be against me?
Don't get me wrong; I am definitely not talking about just giving up
and just waiting for the return of Jesus Christ; far from it.
We are supposed
to strive for justice and take care of the ones in our charge for as
long as we live in these earthly bodies.
But sometimes it's good to just turn off the television, put down the
newspaper and remember that as bad as the news from earth can get, the
news from heaven will always be wonderful, that God has prepared a place
for His people, a place that we cannot even begin to imagine, where
there will be no war, no economic problems, no AIDS, no cancer, no child
predators, no rapists, no oil leaks, no hurricanes, no earthquakes,
no tornadoes and no taxes.
A place of unspeakable peace and beauty where the lion will lay down
by the lamb and the Creator of the Universe will wipe away our tears.
Where the streets are paved with gold and the water supply is the river
of life.
As the old song says, "this world is not my home, I'm just passing
through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue."
My brothers and sisters in the Lord don't look for the problems we face
to get any better. I believe that we are living in the last days before
the return of Jesus Christ, days of turmoil and upheaval, wars, famine
and plague.
I believe that because of what I read in my Bible. I have no way of
knowing when that day will come but the signs foretold thousands of
years ago are being reported on the front pages of the world's newspapers.
I believe however that we are to keep on working, keep on watching and
praying and keep on reaching out a hand to our fellow man as long as
we're here.
As far as the world and its troubles are concerned think about it this
way, you're just in a bad neighborhood waiting on a ride to better place.
What do you think?
Pray for our troops, and for our country.
God Bless America
Charlie Daniels
©Copyright The Charlie
Daniels Band