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Y2K
I have been asked several questions during the past few months concerning the matter of Y2K. There is so much “hype” to where it is almost “hysteria” and the sad part is that many Christians are swallowing it hook, line and sinker.
I see television talk shows and listen to radio talk shows where people are talking about the “computer crisis” and most of them talk about how bad it is going to be.
The truth is that our country may fall apart before January 1. There might be a war or the stock market might crash. The rapture might even take place.
I haven’t spent hardly any time talking about it or discussing it because, number one, it is unavoidable. When man places his faith in a machine instead of God, the Lord played a big joke on man and let man invent a machine that couldn’t count past 1999. Psalm 2:4, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”
I saw a cartoon years ago, about 1986-87, and it showed a bunch of people taking a computer and throwing off a ship to rescue a man who is drowning, and saying, “Here, catch this! It’ll save you.”
The “computer crisis” is just one of several thousand crises invented by the news media. They make a living off “crises.”
Every time someone gets kidnapped in Iran, it’s a “crisis.”
Every time Saddam doesn’t bow down and kiss your foot, it’s a crisis.
Every time somebody in Croatia kills a Muslim or a Croatian retaliation for them murdering 250,000 Serbians in World War II, it’s a crisis.
Every time our president gets caught with his pants down, it’s a crisis.
That’s how they sell news. You invent it.
My mom used to tell us something and I’ve told it to my kids more than once: Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. If the Lord tarries, it’s going to get much worse. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
That’s the way I think about any “crisis” whether it be a hurricane, tornado, tidal wave, stock market crash, a Y2K disaster, or whatever.
According to some of the materials I have read or seen they say, “Travel may be difficult or impossible.” Hey, it’s that way in Europe right now. Fly to L’vov, Ukraine and you’ll experience first hand. The runway was in worse shape than any farm-market road in Cooke County. The Ukraine Air jets looked like they came from the 50’s. All over the world travel is sometimes difficult or impossible. Travel is difficult in Denver in February when it snows.
It’s difficult for crippled people to travel. It’s already difficult for handicapped people in wheelchairs. Wait until someone you love or know ends up in a wheelchair and you’ll see just how difficult it is to get around.
If you’ve traveled much, you’ve already had some difficult trips where the car broke down or the plane malfunctioned and you sat there for hours waiting for another plane. I sat in a plane in Prague, Czech Republic, for three hours one time waiting for them to clean out the restroom waste tank - three hours.
“Travel may be difficult or impossible.” Well, it’s pretty difficult for a man on crutches to walk five miles, always has been, always will be. What’s the point? Have you ever walked on crutches?
The “prophets” say, “Some banks and credit unions could go bankrupt.” HEY, where have you been? They’ve been going bankrupt at a steady rate for more than 20 years.
“Some important systems won’t be fixed.” Good - we can get along without them.
“Some hospitals will go under.” I’m surprised they didn’t go under years ago with the exorbitant rates they are charging. $6.00 for a single Tylenol in not unusual.
“Welfare checks will likely not be sent.” Wouldn’t that be a blessing?
“There will likely be civil unrest.” There’s been civil unrest since 1964. Where have you been?
“Grocery stores might not have any food.” The number one reason grocery store shelves will be more empty than usual will be because the “panic” buyers will buy everything they can and hoard it until the crisis is over.
“The power might go out.” The power goes out regularly now. Virtually every severe thunderstorm brings a power outage. Just a few week ago the electricity went out here at the church for almost three hours - and we never got an explanation.
“The water might not be drinkable.” You can’t drink the water in any other country in the world without the possibility of getting severely sick, except maybe Canada. Even the European countries are suspect. In some countries such as India, you not only cannot drink the water, you can’t even touch it without the danger of contracting a serious disease and maybe even a life-threatening disease.
The point is that somebody is trying to you to panic and mess up your prayer life and get you out of fellowship with the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 gives us the proper instruction.
VERSE 1:
Don’t be afraid to do good. Yes, it may be that your reward will be later down the road, but you still need to do good.
VERSE 2:
When you are doing good, be sure to help more than one person. Help several people because one of these days you may need some help and one of those whom you helped will help you.
VERSE 3:
What is he saying here?
It is best to have a clear understanding of a situation at the very beginning before you launch a venture because, after it begins, it is very difficult to make any change.
VERSE 4:
Act wisely in what you do. If a man wants to sow seed, he had better wait until there is no wind. If a man wants to reap a harvest, he will not begin if rain is threatening.
VERSE 5:
The formation of the fetus and the physical birth of a baby are still great mysteries today. Spiritual rebirth is an even greater mystery. You and I do not know how the Spirit of God will move. There is a great deal that we do not know.
I believe the point is this - don’t let what you don’t know disturb what you do know.
VERSE 6:
“In the morning sow thy seed” - Do all your good works early and diligently, talking about works of righteousness in your youth.
“And in the evening withhold not thy hand” - In the days of old age keep doing the good works of the Lord. Sometimes people who are older tend to be covetous and withholding. Here the Word of God is encouraging both the young and the old to act like the churches of Macedonian who gave even during a great trial of affliction and deep poverty.
We are also encouraged to make use of all our opportunities, “for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that.”
“Or whether they both shall be alike good” - The things we do that are useful for man and the things we do that are acceptable to God, if we do what is right, we will not have to worry about it when we are older.
Prepare for the worst,
Hope for the best,
and Y2K will be a bump in the road of life.
I Cor. 10:13 provides the easiest explanation of all - God is not going to put on us more than we can bear and He will always provide a way of escape.
Put your fears behind you,
Trust in the Lord,
Prepare for the worst,
Hope for the best.
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