One Sunny Day
8/6/15
Not many people would argue that a sunny day sets the stage for a beautiful day, but for various reasons, not everyone can agree upon this statement. Even though the atmosphere may present itself in one manner that does not always mean that all other conditions fall into the same line. Many times our lives have started out a path with clear skies and calm waters but by the end of that journey, we have ventured into one of the most violent storms recorded in our lifetime. God’s plan does not always conform to our lives or what we think should be for our lives, for it is not just our single life that He must watch out for, and sometimes this watching out for status requires a little disciple.
Today, 6 August, 1945 marked another day in the waning hours of World War II. Not many people outside of a small handful of American military personnel knew that this day was going to forever change the world. The event would be precise, quick and to the point and would deliver a message that should wake another nation up and face the fact that their aggressive behavior would no longer be tolerated. Of course, I am referring to the nation of Japan and on this day back in 1945 the U S military dropped the first atomic bomb in anger. It served as a reminder that if a nation oversteps its bounds that someone has to remind them that their actions are wrong, no matter what they believe to be grotesquely true.
I was not born back during World War Ii but my parents were around and I can only imagine how they felt, even though they were young at the time, when they heard the news that the war was over. That must have been a wondrous sight and atmosphere for this country, but how did they feel when they found out exactly how the war finally came to an end? The scene of joy that swept over the land was then turned into a separated horror because they quickly realized that tens of thousands of people just lost their lives at one single time. The same news broke a few days later when the second bomb was dropped on another Japanese city. After the second bomb was detonated, the war was officially over.
I do not know exactly what the weather was like on that August day back in 1945, but I can only imagine that it was at least fair skies because the bomb hit its exact target and since navigated bombing and laser guided bombs had not been developed yet, the skies must have been quite scenic. It was noted by survivors that they watched the single bomber overhead as it dropped its payload, but the impending detonation was far beyond their capacity for that moment. Then, reality set in and people were astonished at the results, both in Japan and around the world. The mighty Empire of Japan was brought to its knees.
Everyone likes to have the sun shining for at least a portion of each day, well most of us at least can say that. It is easy for us to sit and to dream about a nice sandy beach with the controlled ocean waves, the smell of sea salt in the air and our bodies lying on some type of protective barrier all while basking in the pleasant warm sun. This setting could be a scene that one only sees in a catalog or on a postcard, but for many this type of dream comes true.
When I was a youngster, my family and I lived in Salinas, California. It was a beautiful small city that was close to the ocean. The nearest place was call Monterey, which is a famous spot to tourists and many of the wealthy from around the world. The beach there was almost surreal in its unique style and to walk on the shoreline at sunrise or at sunset was just divine. If one could get past the chill of the water and the slight breeze in the air, their time walking on the beach could not provide any further of a perfect setting for a person. Why would anyone wish for a more beautiful vacation spot or living space?
Christmas time 2004 marked another hopeful holiday season in the West. All seemed normal on that day and for the most part nothing really major occurred around the world. But it was the next day that made world history and a date that many people around the world will remember for the rest of their lives. One of the largest earthquakes occurred in the Indian Ocean that produced a devastating Tsunami that traveled thousands of miles in water to reach shores half way across the world. The earthquake itself was large enough to set off seismic recordings ablaze and it is said that the entire world vibrated as this plate began to move. It is impossible for our finite minds to understand just how much force this type of earthquake produces but it is fascinating to many to many to sit back and watch how the earth responds to such a phenomenon.
The ensuing Tsunami hit the shores of many countries and caused billions of monies in damages, but the most important fact of this destructive event was the loss of life. The country of Indonesia suffered the greatest amount of damage both in the physical aspects and in human destruction. There was not much warning after the earthquake struck of what was about to come even though many people who were familiar with earthquakes in the water knew what could occur. It was a risk that every person who lived in that area took each day that they made their residence in that region. And on the 26th of December 2004, tragedy struck in a fierce way and not respecting any social class in its wake.
Estimates place the death toll from 230,000 – 280, 000 people and for us to imagine such an immediate loss of humanity, it is hard to fathom. But even with this amount of damage and death, it is small in comparison to how many people could have perished that day if the settings had been different. The portion of the nation that was directly hit was populous and had many tourists there at the time. The scene was captured by many phones and cameras and it has provided an accurate account of exactly what transpired, it even captured people losing their lives as the water rushed inland and then back out to sea. The videos and pictures are not for the weak-stomached, but it does deal a sense of reality that one needs to be aware.
As I scanned those videos and pictures I took time to notice something about the weather on that day. It was cold here in the United States and it was a typical winter’s day but in that portion of the world it is said to be in the tropics which means that it stays warm year around, with temperatures varying slightly. I noticed that while some of the camera angles had a few clouds in the sky the sun was out and it was proving to be another normal awesome day that the region was providing. No one saw the oncoming devastation coming and even fewer understood what was about to happen, with even fewer numbers realizing just how much destruction was about to take place.
Most of us associate weather issues with storms that we know are coming. Hurricanes can be accurately projected for almost a week in advance, tornados can be tacked even before their actual formation with warnings sent out sometimes 30 minutes before it strikes. Hail storms, winds and even sand storms can all be accurately monitored with modern technology, even earthquake activity can be surmised by the patterns the ground show with seismic monitoring now. However, it is the size of the actual event that we do not know and cannot measure, and it is through this aspect of our world that only God controls and humans have no choice in the matter; for, before every storm and after every storm there are clear skies with a bright sun shining.
With the exception of a few blips in history, our country has been basically atmospherically and earthly sound. Here is evidence of catastrophic events that have occurred long before this nation was formally created but not since our creation. If one puts two and two together they could come up with the truth that this country has been blessed not to be placed into other country’s geographical categories. It is also a sound conclusion that the reasoning behind this protective land mass comes the original Creator in which this land was dedicated to centuries ago for His purposes. But, with all of the blessings that have come to our nation due to our willingness to keep God’s laws in motion, the only thing that sunny skies have given us is warmth and light during the day.
But we now must recognize that we have made further and more “progressive” choices, ones that which serve ourselves and not the One who created this land. Even though based upon the exact reasons to which we ourselves were created, these choices have been adulterated far enough for God to make certain choices Himself. Our egos have become out of control and unless the news brings something extraordinarily spectacular we tend to ignore it, for it does not affect our immediate lives. We have intentionally taken our protective hedge around us for granted and all–the-while not noticed the huge hole that we have made due to these choices. That is ok, for they are our choices and while we forget that we must live with the consequences of these choices, God does not.
For quite some time now the voices of this nation have cried out for a social change, even to the point that we are tired of being considered number one in the world. God provided us a leader who that has delivered upon our request and has taken us down to the rest of the world on the majority of worldly ideas and stances. Whether we like this leader or not, God has placed him in our path and while he is our leader it was our responsibility to either accept his ways or to reject them. It is clear that the cries of the collective wish for him to be where he is at, thus going contrary to what God wishes for our nation. That is ok as well, for it is our choice, even though God has stated in the Bible and today that the consequences of this decision will not be liked.
Through our choices we have deliberately chosen to accept the ways of the world and to ignore what God is trying to prevent us from securing. While the seasons have not changed and the earth continues to produce in the same manner that it has since time began our hearts have challenged this steadfastness and have willed the Creator of these patterns away from our establishments. With blinded hearts we wake each day in hope for another sunny day that provides us with the self centered security that we have promoted to the world. Yet, watch with nervous eyes as we witness humanity crumbling around us. We look to the world for answers and receive abandonment in return, but what can one expect from a defeated ruler’s domain?
Church, you are stuck in this position as well and to be honest, your lackadaisical attitude towards your mission to the world has greatly increased this sunny picture. It is your lack of energy that has allowed the kingdom of the world to overtake our choices and to give way to the state of affairs that we currently live in. You have one job and that is to provide the truth about the world and the death that it can only bring, yet you have accepted this status of the world and now promote it. That is exactly why it is written that when judgment comes it comes to the just and the unjust alike.
The people’s attitudes are clouded by the obscene thoughts that since we provide the world with the greatest amount of freedoms and choices that God would ever lay a hand on our existence. Oh, contraire, for it is through these choices that we demand that God finds absolutely abhorrent and totally contrary to His ways and means. He did not create us to demand selfishness or lives filled with pride and sun filled days, nor did He create us to demand a certain set living and acceptance. God does not demand that we serve Him, He created us with free will to choose either Him or the world not both.
We must never forget that God cannot change His ways or laws and that if we continue to choose to defy these laws, He will have to change our ways for us. This will be most evident to the greatest country ever developed in the world and yet when this turn arrives we will be so far up in ourselves that the majority of our inhabitants shall miss the true meaning behind the devastation. We have been shown signs of things to come and the potential of things to occur and have voluntarily ignored each one of them. That is ok, for it is our choice to do so.
As the Japanese stood bye and watched their day flash before them and the people of Indonesia watch their belongings wash out to sea, God is saying to us that there will be more sunny days in our forecast and it was our choice to make those false sunny days; for if we turn our eyes away from the true Son we shall automatically be enthralled and systematically blinded by the sun. I leave you with an old saying that my great, great grandmother would say to my grandfather. It does not have the exact same meaning as she was intending but her point gives complete direction for us today. She would tell my grandfather “Cecil, never trust a sleeping bear.” In this case the sleeping bear comes in the form of a separate condition and while she was referring to a completely different subject we should never completely trust a normal, peaceful, sunny day by itself.
DLB
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