This world long ago betrayed my trust. In an idealist heart such as mine it aroused fantastic hopes for happily ever after, endless summer nights, a rainbow connection waiting to be found, and possibly even a secret path leading back to Pooh Corner (where the mommas sang us to sleep before we got stressed out!). Not only did it fail to deliver such to me, but I look around and I don’t think it has delivered satisfactorily to anybody, anywhere, at any time. Indeed, often very much quite the contrary.

Granted that tons of people are happy, or at least content, with their life in this world. Well, you do you, but a lot of the complacency appears from my vantage point to spring from the fact that humans, in the words of C.S. Lewis, are “far too easily pleased.” Not to mention the fact that for every person eating their cake, how many scores are enduring unspeakable horrors?

For my part the sense of betrayal is permanent. “But what if we tweak this, or reform that, or work on implementing such and so?” No, no, and no. Enough variants have been tried. They are just different paths to failure.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a beautiful hike in the mountains hopping across cool, bubbly brooks. I love me a nice mango and peanut butter smoothie. I rejoice in the companionship of compassionate, divine image-bearing human beings when they happen to be in a friendly mood. I do and will continue to momentarily partake with thankfulness of the fleeting delights this world has to offer as fitting opportunities temporarily arise.

But the prime goal, the laser focus, is on hastening the coming of the Day of God on which He makes all things new, restoring the system of God, man, woman, animals, and all of creation to the harmonious and peaceful Way Things Are Supposed To Be which is only possible in the fully manifest and consummated Kingdom of Christ.

Maranatha.