You know, there is so much "doom and gloom" out there. Everywhere I turn, everything I read....the Dow is tanking, unemployment at an all-time high, people losing their jobs and homes, volcanoes going off, earthquakes, crazy weather-- 80 degree weather one day, next day it's 30 degrees (what??); one blizzard after another and then to top off the suffering - torrential flooding.
Families being torn apart, lives being destroyed by terrible acts of violence--"was it the economy and the guy just lost his job, or was it because he was another 'nut' case living on the fringe for years and went over the edge because of a personal problem or? because....(fill in the blanks). And if so, why didn't we see it? Were there any clues? Did we choose to ignore this person as we were just too busy with our own lives?
The bottom line is we're all in this mess together. Maybe we should start reaching out to one another as hard as that may be for some of us, maybe all of us.
But, I have to tell you, there's something more to what we see going on.
We hear the term "End of Days"--the Christian term for the finality to it all and Jesus Christ returning. But there's something else that may be of interest and it's much older than the Christian version. In fact, the Hebrews thought of it first and then the Christians liked the story so much they decided they would borrow it.
It's about the "Final Redemption," which we are now in and the "End of Exile" for the Jewish nation. It is about King Moshiach (the Jewish Messiah) returning to earth, heralding in G-d's arrival. We are just in the first "birth pangs" of this "Final Redemption".
All that we are witnessing--the unprecedented, historic global financial meltdown, natural disasters, the uncertainty, angst, anger, frustration, confusion, chaos and fear people are experiencing as to where we are going and just how we are going to end up.
It is not the end of things, but only the beginning. It is not desolation but transformation from one rule (man's) to G-d's rule.
G'd didn't write down just how this would occur but he did give us a "blueprint."
He didn't say whether this "transformation" from the old to the new would be easy or difficult. I think the jury is still out on that one but I dare say if you polled the American people, most of them would vote for the adjective "painful" to describe what is happening.
This certainty and belief in King Moshiach is the only thing keeping me going. For this indescribable upheaval, kingdoms-(nations, financial institutions)-falling, kings going down-(Chairman of GM; Bernie Madoff to name a few) and global events in general is a just G-d peeling the skin off the onion.
The CONCEALED being REVEALED.
When you are constantly bombarded day and night with depressing news it's difficult to keep reminding yourself that there are still many, many good folks out there who never make it to Hollywood.
They just keep doing their works of faith, it could be giving the downtrodden, homeless, helpless, a place to call "home" and nourishment. Or maybe a husband staying home with the kids or vice versa while the wife works to keep a roof over their heads. Couples working two, sometimes three jobs to keep going and still "PAYING THEIR 'FAIR' SHARE OF TAXES." Stranger helping stranger; neighbor helping neighbor; acts of charity and acts of heroism.
Too bad Congress doesn't act like this. They could learn a lesson.
We're in a battle. Like it or not it is the battle between good and evil. Oh, how "trite" that sounds. Laugh if you want. It makes no difference to me for I believe it to be true.
We are all here for a reason. To make this world a better place for all. To make this world we live in habitable for G-d who chooses to live down here among his creation, and not in some lofty heavenly angelic sphere.
So, every time we see someone fall...pick them up, offer a hug instead of a slap, take the time to really listen to someone instead of "tuning out" because of other things on your mind. "Oh, my gosh, I only have a few minutes to get to the bank, what will I have for dinner", etc.
Give to charity. We have so much to be grateful for, let's give a little back.
We have so many things pulling at us. It's like one of those globes with the electricity inside that is constantly giving off static charges.
We need to stop the input and focus on the output.
Families being torn apart, lives being destroyed by terrible acts of violence--"was it the economy and the guy just lost his job, or was it because he was another 'nut' case living on the fringe for years and went over the edge because of a personal problem or? because....(fill in the blanks). And if so, why didn't we see it? Were there any clues? Did we choose to ignore this person as we were just too busy with our own lives?
The bottom line is we're all in this mess together. Maybe we should start reaching out to one another as hard as that may be for some of us, maybe all of us.
But, I have to tell you, there's something more to what we see going on.
We hear the term "End of Days"--the Christian term for the finality to it all and Jesus Christ returning. But there's something else that may be of interest and it's much older than the Christian version. In fact, the Hebrews thought of it first and then the Christians liked the story so much they decided they would borrow it.
It's about the "Final Redemption," which we are now in and the "End of Exile" for the Jewish nation. It is about King Moshiach (the Jewish Messiah) returning to earth, heralding in G-d's arrival. We are just in the first "birth pangs" of this "Final Redemption".
All that we are witnessing--the unprecedented, historic global financial meltdown, natural disasters, the uncertainty, angst, anger, frustration, confusion, chaos and fear people are experiencing as to where we are going and just how we are going to end up.
It is not the end of things, but only the beginning. It is not desolation but transformation from one rule (man's) to G-d's rule.
G'd didn't write down just how this would occur but he did give us a "blueprint."
He didn't say whether this "transformation" from the old to the new would be easy or difficult. I think the jury is still out on that one but I dare say if you polled the American people, most of them would vote for the adjective "painful" to describe what is happening.
This certainty and belief in King Moshiach is the only thing keeping me going. For this indescribable upheaval, kingdoms-(nations, financial institutions)-falling, kings going down-(Chairman of GM; Bernie Madoff to name a few) and global events in general is a just G-d peeling the skin off the onion.
The CONCEALED being REVEALED.
When you are constantly bombarded day and night with depressing news it's difficult to keep reminding yourself that there are still many, many good folks out there who never make it to Hollywood.
They just keep doing their works of faith, it could be giving the downtrodden, homeless, helpless, a place to call "home" and nourishment. Or maybe a husband staying home with the kids or vice versa while the wife works to keep a roof over their heads. Couples working two, sometimes three jobs to keep going and still "PAYING THEIR 'FAIR' SHARE OF TAXES." Stranger helping stranger; neighbor helping neighbor; acts of charity and acts of heroism.
Too bad Congress doesn't act like this. They could learn a lesson.
We're in a battle. Like it or not it is the battle between good and evil. Oh, how "trite" that sounds. Laugh if you want. It makes no difference to me for I believe it to be true.
We are all here for a reason. To make this world a better place for all. To make this world we live in habitable for G-d who chooses to live down here among his creation, and not in some lofty heavenly angelic sphere.
So, every time we see someone fall...pick them up, offer a hug instead of a slap, take the time to really listen to someone instead of "tuning out" because of other things on your mind. "Oh, my gosh, I only have a few minutes to get to the bank, what will I have for dinner", etc.
Give to charity. We have so much to be grateful for, let's give a little back.
We have so many things pulling at us. It's like one of those globes with the electricity inside that is constantly giving off static charges.
We need to stop the input and focus on the output.
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