One of my friends wished me a Happy New Year today. For a second I hesitated and then I remembered. Rosh Hashanah has come. The ten most sacred days of the year begin at sundown and end with Yom Kipper, the Day of Atonement. It is a high holy time for repentance and reflection on being a better person. I guessed that it was 5400 and something. I missed it by almost 400 years. It is 5774. He was very kind and said 400 was close. But not really. If we subtract 400 from 2013 that takes us to 1613. The King James Version of the Bible was two years old. Pocahontas was captured by the English, held for ransom, converted to Christianity and took the name Rebecca. A lot can happen in one year and especially 400 years.
In the midst of the last 400 years we have managed to fill them with lots of wars and quite a few technological advances. How sad that most of them have not only advanced our standard of living but in addition have proven very effective in killing other people. People used to live behind great walls of rock and granite. Today we live behind an electronic wall designed to protect us from those who would destroy us. We don’t see it but it is as real as what we do see.
This electronic wall proves itself every day to be quite effective. However, I would like to advocate to you an even more effective wall. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, my stronghold.” Psalm 18. We don’t see Him but He is as real as what we do see.
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 5, 2013
rogerbothwell.org