Dark Ages
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Dark Ages
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Riverside/Benoni Bulletin--032308--"Back to the Dark Ages"BACK TO THE DARK AGES
Africa has always been referred to as "The Dark
Continent." South Africa, however, in contrast has always been
recognized as the most "enlightened" country on the continent! These
days, however, we have entered the "dark zone"-- regular power outages.
Aging, non-maintained and poorly-serviced generators in the overworked
power grid have grown weary and are checking out. Goodbye power,
hello darkness! Dark Ages, here we come!
Warned by Eskom, the country's electricity
supplier, to expect regular power outages, we are experiencing
them almost daily. Usually three hours long, the power outage means a
dead computer, an idle washing machine, a cold iron, a useless cook
stove, an unheated house, a cold bath and no reading unless the book is
in Braille. In fact, even a cup of tea is out is the question! If you
decide to while away the time by driving your car, you discover that
your electronic gate is shut tighter than a jug! No access to the
streets is the message. Not that it matters too much. You would see idle
sales clerks sitting outside their darkened shops. Worse, patients
reporting for procedures or surgery are sent home from the
hospitals until another day. In this crime-ridden land, the most
frightening aspect is the failure of your home security system. Where
criminals already reign supreme, this makes the populous even more
vulnerable. Then, too, later on clock-resetting is the order of the day.
Anybody have the correct time?
Our neighbors across the border in Zimbabwe fare even
worse than we do. Our recent SABC Lectureship guests, Dave and Irene
Meikle, told of their experience with their local power outages. Things
had deteriorated so badly in their country that they only have
electricity at night from 11 PM to 5 AM. Having had their three farms
arbitrarily confiscated by their government, Dave had managed to obtain
a job working for a company that grows and exports roses to
England. Dave was empowered to hire other employees. Because they
need power to perform their tasks, the workers have to come to work
at 11 PM and work throughout the night. Furthermore, if the Meikles
wanted their usual hot breakfast to start their day, Irene had to get up
at 4:30 AM to take advantage of that last 30-minute period of
electricity to make their morning oat meal porridge. This is their daily
lifestyle. So, who's complaining? After all, things could get worse!!
The term, "The Dark Continent", has been
applied to a land deprived of educational opportunities or modern
facilities in addition to the lack of light from electricity. Of even
greater concern to us as Christians is the fact that
spiritually, Africa also remains in the dark with many of its countries
untouched by the Son of God and the light of His Word.
Isn't it amazing what a difference light
makes. "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all," 1 John 1:5.
"Jesus is the light of the world," John 8:12. "The people that sat in
darkness have seen a great light," Matthew 4:16. Remember those
passages? A world steeped in darkness has seen the "blackouts" of sin
being beaten back by tiny little gospel lights being lit all over the
world by God's light-bearers. The gospel is God's "power unto
salvation", Romans 1:16, and guess what? There are NO power outages
where God is concerned. His light never goes out, Revelation 21:23-25.
We sing, "There is power in the blood," because that
is a never-failing source of dynamic, life-changing and salvation-
bringing power. Are you washed in the blood? Have you been to Jesus for
His saving power? Have you obeyed the gospel? Has He taken you out of
darkness into His marvelous light, 1 Peter 2:9? If not, the decisive
hour has arrived. Now is the hour of decision--seize the moment to
become one who "walks in the light as He is in the light,"1 John 1:6-7.
Let's rid Africa and the rest of the world of the "dark ages" stigma.
Rather light a candle than curse the darkness. Be a
light-bearer for Jesus!
Love you all,
Al --"The Horne of Africa."
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