A once popular Bob Dylan song noted that "the times, they are a-changin.'" While the counterculture era of which Dylan's songs were oftentimes foremost musical expression is now past, the times, albeit within a somewhat differing frame of reference, are yet "a-changin."
The potential for - indeed, likelihood of - intensifying global turbulence is becoming increasingly recognized and acknowledged, not only within circles of liberal, anti-administration opposition, but realms of the conservative as well.
We were struck this week by the acknowledgement of British Prime Minister Blair that "we are not winning" in the Iraq endeavor - this by the most supportive world leader of present American Mideast policy; a cooperation that has apparently cost him a brilliant political career.
Again within the week, James Woolsey, former director of the CIA predicted the likelihood of ongoing conflict with aggressive Muslim terrorism for "several decades." And, as some will recall, former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara voiced his opinion a few months ago that given the active quest of various hostile regimes for nuclear weapons capability, the deployment of such "is only a matter of time."
Indeed, all that is likely needed to set of a state of total chaos within our nation, as well as much of the rest of the world, is the successful execution of one of al-Qaeda's threats of even greater terrorist devastation than 9/11 to succeed.
For those of faith, clouds are appearing elsewhere as well. There is little escaping an increasingly open anti-Christian bias within not only various agencies of the judicial, governmental, educational and socially administrative, but commercial and business interests as well.
Wherein lies the response of faith? "See that you be not alarmed," Jesus exhorted. To which Paul would add the need for awareness as to divine purpose in relation to the community of faith: "until we all come" to the fulfillment of divine objective as it relates to the Church (Eph. 4:11-16; 5:27).
Perhaps we would do well to refocus on such exhortations while at the same time jettisoning much of the excess baggage with which the Body of Christ has become encumbered.
Burl Ratzsch
