How aware are we of our time?

I am about to launch into teaching my year 9 history class about World War One.

Even though I’m on isolation this week due to having COVID (never fear, it is the mildest case in human history) I am planning the lessons from home.

And, as we look at the causes of WW1… everything is… oddly familiar.

Militarism. Alliances. Imperialism. Nationalism. 

Europe was like a gas filled room. All it needed was a spark to ignite the conflict.

It does sound familiar…

I have little doubt that, currently, we are living in the middle of a future history lesson.

Hopefully, it won’t be the opening of the chapter on World War 3.

But how aware are we that we live in the midst of history?

With present world circumstances, it’s not too had.

We have an active war zone on the news.

We are still in a pandemic.

I’ll be able to tell my grandkids that I had COVID.

But, five years ago, would we have been so aware?

In a religious sense, how aware are we that we are in the middle of the salvation story still unfolding?

Now, of course, you can take this to an unhelpful place and project yourself, your church or your nation into a place it may not belong.

You can squeeze yourself, chapter and verse, into the book of Revelation.

Many have. And looked rather foolish in doing so.

Nonetheless, being aware that the unfolding story of God’s redemptive plan is still ongoing, can provide a useful perspective.