many of these things will not last, should not be expected to last. the lack of per­ma­nence is char­ac­ter­is­tic of volatile infor­ma­tion, pre­served only fleet­ingly even at a minus 25 degree boil­ing point.

we for­get.

some­times not soon enough, pain­lessly enough, loudly enough. as though our protest will make it sooner, eas­ier, clearer. clear­ing these clouds to what end? dis­pelling an illu­sion alone? con­cen­trat­ing pre­cip­i­ta­tion at some other time, in some other place? seed­ing rain­fall is an impre­cise sci­ence, you know. bei­jing would like to think oth­er­wise — will have the world think oth­er­wise, but we will have to wait until the eighth hour of the eighth day to learn — or at least observe the cul­mi­na­tion of many fac­tors not totally understood.

our con­trol is at best imprecise.

rumours of tesla weapons and unheeded seis­mol­o­gists and toads are one thing, but the bur­ial of thou­sands and grief to fam­i­lies and sub­se­quent sui­cides and infer­til­i­ties and aban­don­ments are quite another. as, too, are res­cues and out­pour­ings of com­pas­sion and global relief efforts and prayers of thou­sands, at least some of which are being heard.

the oppor­tunists? the profiteers?

“no man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death” (Ecc 8:8) — so let them lie and cheat. let the cheaters lie. they are dig­ging their own pit.

why do good things hap­pen to evil people?

it was not always like this. it will not remain like this.

“he [Jesus of Nazareth] is the one appointed by God to be judge of the liv­ing and the dead” (Acts 10:42)

but he, too, makes us at peace with him through pay­ing the price for us on the cross. “[God] rec­on­ciles to him­self all things, whether on earth or in heaven, mak­ing peace by the blood of his cross.” (Col 1:20)

“Surely I am com­ing soon.” (Rev 22:20)

come, Lord Jesus!