"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . . ." These are the opening lines to Charles Dickens' classic book, A Tale of Two Cities. He was describing France during the revolution. In many ways, you could use the same words to describe our world today.
In 1948, U. S. General Omar Bradley made this statement: "We have grasped the mystery of the atom and we have rejected the Sermon on the Mount. The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants." If that was true in 1948, it's definitely true now.
In many ways, things have never been darker spiritually in our world and in our country. In spite of all the incredible technological advances we have made in recent years, it seems like we actually have regressed morally. At the same time, we see rays of hope where God is intervening, where people are coming to faith.
As we see our world going the direction it is going, these are signs of the times, reminders that the Lord is coming back. Jesus told us there would be certain things we should look for that would alert us to the fact that His coming is near. Then He said, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28).
If ever there was a time to be sure that our lives are right with God, if ever there was a time to be certain that we are walking with Him so we can gladly look up as our redemption draws near, the time is now.
