Much has changed since I was born:
Then, my grandparents bought one of the first TVs, a huge box with tiny screen and uncertain picture, because, “Pammy needs it.” (Actually, Pawpaw needed it – to watch the Cubs.)
Now, televisions are huge and hung on walls, or, merged with our phones, in our pockets. Picture quality is excellent – where you have Wi-Fi.
Then, telephones hung on walls and people had party lines. Our number was 923-J. Once private lines came in, we became MAyfair. If you moved, you had to get a new number.
Now, phones go everywhere we go. The number is ours, porting over to any upgrades. There is nowhere to hide, but it seems we don’t want to.
Then, computers were rooms full of vacuum tubes. The invention of the transistor in 1947 and the integrated circuit in 1958 changed that. The first mini-computer arrived in 1975. Apple launched in 1976. In 2007, the first iPhone combined phone and computer.
Now, smart phones have more computing power than those whole rooms did.
Then, we bought encyclopedias, volumes of information that had to be upgraded with even more volumes as things changed. “Go look it up,” said Mother.
Now, we have Google, a noun that has been “verbed,” as in, “I googled it.” ‘nough said.
Amazing changes.
But not all changes have been good. Plastics have taken over landfills and oceans, killing sea life. What can we do? Plastic is everywhere. We recycle, but it’s not enough.
Climate change threatens our existence. Fires, floods, droughts – where will it stop? Is it already too late?
A deadly coronavirus kills. The economy reels. Americans are at each other’s throats over politics and racial justice. How did we get here?
Yet there is hope. God has promised:
When I close the sky so that there is no rain, or command the locusts to destroy the land, or send sicknesses to my people and if my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 Easy-to-Read Version
Those called by His name need to humbly pray. I need to humbly pray.
Because only God can fix the problems. Only God can heal our land.
And that’s a change I long for. Soon, please, Father. Soon.