God's Presence In The Millennium
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle B
The speaker was funny, interesting, engaging, and very knowledgeable. She was telling about Revelation in the face of the millennium. Would the world end at the turn of the millennium? As a pastor, lecturer, and professor, she had many stories to tell and many observations about people in general. The whole concept of the millennium was fascinating.
We heard about the commercialism surrounding the millennium. Only so many shopping days left ... Only 2,000 of these will be made ... Only this many will be made until the millennium ... And we heard of the fanatics who feel that at the turn of the "odometer" of time, things will just end, or blow up, or who knows what fate will deliver.
The lecturer had statistics, poetry, cartoons, and research to support the case that the world would go on as usual on January 1, 2000. But psychologically, things will be different, she said. It will be another century, another millennium, another milestone for the earth. We will see things a bit differently, she assured us, just because of the numbers.
But she also assured us that God will still be there, no matter what the date on the calendar says. To God it won't be a milestone. God has another calendar, another space in time.
It was a brilliant lecture. A brilliant argument for the status quo. She called for questions.
Leon stood up. He didn't exactly have a question, he said. But he had an observation to make. "I appreciate all you have said about a new milestone, a new millennium, a new era. But my millennium came on April 19, 1997, when my town was flooded. We were supposed to evacuate, but I couldn't leave. I watched as water rushed down the street toward us. I watched water fill the basement and much of the main floor. I watched as the flood soaked up and carried off my possessions. I watched and my soul cried out in disbelief.
"I watched as the National Guard carried us off in helicopters. I watched as the damage was assessed three weeks later when the water finally receded. I watched and I cried out in pain.
"I watched as Salvation Army trucks brought us food three times a day. I watched young people from across the nation come and muck out our homes. I watched the letter carrier bring boxes that were simply addressed to 'flood victims.'
"People I didn't even know carried away our waterlogged belongings. People I didn't even know carried in new belongings that had been donated by churches, corporations, schools, clubs, and ordinary people. I watched as people helped me rebuild and renew.
"I watched God's presence in the aftermath of the flood. That was my millennium. That was the beginning of a new era for me. That was the time God's presence was made known to me."
We heard about the commercialism surrounding the millennium. Only so many shopping days left ... Only 2,000 of these will be made ... Only this many will be made until the millennium ... And we heard of the fanatics who feel that at the turn of the "odometer" of time, things will just end, or blow up, or who knows what fate will deliver.
The lecturer had statistics, poetry, cartoons, and research to support the case that the world would go on as usual on January 1, 2000. But psychologically, things will be different, she said. It will be another century, another millennium, another milestone for the earth. We will see things a bit differently, she assured us, just because of the numbers.
But she also assured us that God will still be there, no matter what the date on the calendar says. To God it won't be a milestone. God has another calendar, another space in time.
It was a brilliant lecture. A brilliant argument for the status quo. She called for questions.
Leon stood up. He didn't exactly have a question, he said. But he had an observation to make. "I appreciate all you have said about a new milestone, a new millennium, a new era. But my millennium came on April 19, 1997, when my town was flooded. We were supposed to evacuate, but I couldn't leave. I watched as water rushed down the street toward us. I watched water fill the basement and much of the main floor. I watched as the flood soaked up and carried off my possessions. I watched and my soul cried out in disbelief.
"I watched as the National Guard carried us off in helicopters. I watched as the damage was assessed three weeks later when the water finally receded. I watched and I cried out in pain.
"I watched as Salvation Army trucks brought us food three times a day. I watched young people from across the nation come and muck out our homes. I watched the letter carrier bring boxes that were simply addressed to 'flood victims.'
"People I didn't even know carried away our waterlogged belongings. People I didn't even know carried in new belongings that had been donated by churches, corporations, schools, clubs, and ordinary people. I watched as people helped me rebuild and renew.
"I watched God's presence in the aftermath of the flood. That was my millennium. That was the beginning of a new era for me. That was the time God's presence was made known to me."
