Murray Smith
Do ostriches really bury their head in the sand to avoid trouble, or to hide? Surely it’s a bit of a pointless method of escaping danger or predators, if they can’t breathe? Like our kiwi, these flightless birds are unable to build nests in trees so they lay their eggs in burrows or holes dug in the ground. Ostriches occasionally stick their heads into the nest to rotate the eggs to ensure they are evenly heated, which makes it look they are trying to hide – hence the myth!
Today with so many issues troubling society, there’s neither point nor place for trying to hide. Little wonder though, that many people might want to emulate the ‘proverbial’ ostrich, given the deeply soul troubling, concerns weighing on them. Recently I came across a company building bunkers (underground survival-shelters), that was promoting its services. All of the motivational pitch pandered purely to people’s fears. And who could condemn anyone for feeling afraid as we survey our own national landscape, contemplating what the future holds and what is looming on the global horizon?
Deep levels of pervasive uncertainty exist due to international tensions, our own factious political scene with democracy under threat, freedom of speech in jeopardy, racial disharmony, imposition of dangerous ideologies, economies on a knife-edge, crime levels rising, public services disintegrating, legislation promoting increased liberalism, education under threat and there’s just so many other points of extreme vulnerability.
There’s no argument that deterioration is going on around us. Things are fragile and broken. I risk getting labelled as a negative doomsday sayer, in believing the ‘old world’ has gone… things won’t return to ‘normal’ and we’re headed for even greater levels of difficulty and trouble. And sorry folks, you can’t look to a government to fix everything.
But it’s not ‘checkmate’ and it is far from hopeless. The Bible contains much detail about the darkness that will fill the earth as this age draws to a close. But it also speaks powerfully of the light, joy and hope that is found in a personal relationship with God who rules ultimately over everything. The ‘hope’ the Bible speaks of, is not just a cross your fingers, “touch wood”, hope-for-the best optimism. It is a very powerful force, undergirded by peace and assurance – a deep soul-rest conviction that God has ‘got’ our lives, our very best future in His hand and when everything is shaken, we remain solid, since He is totally in control. When things are shaken; it needn’t surprise us, or cause us to fear, as He has final say.
Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I’ve overcome the world.” Remember the only firm foundation is Jesus; every other foundation that people build on crumbles.
You can face the future with hope – not fear. Your ‘inner’ life can be at peace as the world struggles and unravels. Hearts filled with fear, can be stilled and calmed by accepting Christ, thereby confronting that which is the root of our problem… our separation from Him.
