Throughout history there have been certain events that have shaken humanity to its core. These calamities left man uncertain about his or her future here upon this earth. Would there even be a future and if so what would it look like. In his book “Entrusted with the Gospel” David McLennan spoke of the fear and uncertainty of those living in the 1950’s as a result of the events that had taken place in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945, as well as the testing of the H-Bomb in March of 1954.
Note the following quotes….
“Many of those to whom we speak are anxious, lonely and confused.” Men have always been. But a further fact has made the anxiety and fear assume aggravated, endemic (widespread) proportions. It is the dreadful fact of the nuclear bomb’s killing potential. True, in order to transact daily business and live in any tolerable fashion, men cannot constantly think of the menace. But it is there….a black, infernal cloud on the horizon of all our life.” “It is not fantastic to say that much of the gnawing anxiety destroying man’s peace is traceable to what happened in 1945, when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japanese cities, and again in 1954, when the hydrogen bomb was successfully tested”
Mr. McLennan quotes the following from the April 10th 1954 edition of the NEW YORKER (One month after the H-Bomb exploded in the Pacific)
“When you hear the sound and see the flash, don’t duck under the nearest table, cause there won’t be any table; don’t pull the tablecloth over you, cause there won’t be any tablecloth; don’t throw yourself on the floor, cause there won’t be any floor; and don’t under any circumstances, try to leave the city, cause there won’t be any city left to leave. Simply pause for a moment to adjust your shroud and make your way leisurely to the nearest cloud.” (Francis Minturn Howard)
The reality of what the atomic and hydrogen bombs were capable of provided a legitimate concern as to the uncertainty of one’s future here upon this earth and no one was immune. One’s economic statues was of no consequence, the color of your skin was insignificant, it did not matter if you were male or female, scholar or novice, all would suffer the same fate if found in the path of these destructive forces. However, amidst the uncertainty there was blessed assurance. This assurance was available for those of great wealth as well as those in poverty. This assurance wasn’t dependent upon the color of one’s skin, gender, or social standing. This assurance could be a reality for all; His name was Jesus. Unlike the piece written in the New Yorker in April of 1954 the message of Jesus was good news. The author of eternal salvation provided hope.
With all of the uncertainties and fears about what the future holds here, the one constant that can bring us peace is Gospel. What’s going to happen with Covid-19? I don’t know; but I do know that it cannot touch the peace and comfort that the Gospel of Jesus Christ gives me.
Are you fearful and uncertain about the future? There’s good news, His name is Jesus.
“God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
As a result of our response to the Gospel of Christ (Acts 2:38, Acts 16:30-33, Acts 8:36-38) “…we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us…” (Romans 8:36) and we can say with the Apostle Paul “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)