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Every time mention is made of this term, "like a needle in a haystack", I automatically hear the definitive melody of the 1960s song with words sung in my head from the old, but popular tune belted out vigorously by youthful members of the band known as The Twilights made famous way back in 1966. Here is the link for those so inclined to have a listen, as well as for those who have no idea of what I am talking about from a time long ago when black and white TV was the "norm" in Australia before colour came in 1975. https://youtu.be/eUSEI-nMizc
The first time I laid eyes on a TV set operating with colour transmission it was at a multi-level shopping mall somewhere in Melbourne as I stood on the escalator travelling upwards to the next department floor, most likely at Chadstone where we lived nearby. Even though the placement is fuzzy in my memory bank my first thoughts are still clear as clear can be — that Mum did not live long enough to see colour TV (died 1974). Things were so different back then when life as a child seemed so simple and children stayed home from school if unwell because that was the right thing to do. We were a healthy bunch from a lifestyle that included plenty of sunshine at the beach or in our Clark's swimming pool, playing outside on our Malvern Star bicycles and in our backyards with all the kids in our street, hungrily fueling up on toast spread with butter and Vegemite or with Veggie and cheese in sandwiches for lunch with cold Milo to drink in summer and hot Milo in winter, then with tasty home cooked meals every night of the week from our stay-at-home Mums. Once in a "blue moon" we had fish and chips with salad for tea (dinner). That was then and this is now. Life has changed big time especially for children. What on earth happened?
This can be summed up in one word for many — progress. According to others, technology, but at a hefty price. It takes a very strong individual to show good character with not caving in to their children by trying to be best friends and giving them all the things they did not have. More is not necessarily better. Who would have ever imagined wide eyed babies not even one year old sitting in a pusher or pram holding a mobile phone? Not me. Or, toddlers moving around holding an ipad or tablet with parents hoping they don't drop it, but they invariably do; not their fault as they are unsteady on their little feet and tend to move about erratically at times — after all they have not been walking for very long. I have personally seen parents give their children electronic devices to shut them up and made no secret of it just so they can converse amongst themselves or watch TV without any interruption. Would I give my kids my mobile phone or any expensive device to play with? Why would anyone in their right mind? Convenience, the pursuit of pleasure, with leisure time being the main focus, is at the forefront of people's minds.
Cooking dinner years ago when the kids were little, they watched cartoons like Bugs Bunny on TV but only after homework was done. I realise that some would not agree with this but shows were limited in the 60s with mostly American influence. There is a place for TV if used wisely with time limits and content such as educational documentaries to inform, but again, a parent should be watching at the same time in order to guide, correct, and answer questions from enquiring minds. Television has been the main "babysitter" since its inception for children the world over. Sad but true, working mums must be very tired, even exhausted, balancing work and home life these days which makes it easy to buckle under pressure known as being time poor = less time with children. This is exactly what the enemy desires — for others such as teachers, friends, after school care or day care to influence their minds in wrongful pursuits.
Then there is the trendy babycino crowd who actually buy their 2 year old a tiny cup of modified coffee or chocolate to be like Mum and Dad. Hardly worth the container it comes in but it is all about money, all about parents feeling guilty working two jobs in order to have a better lifestyle. Justification sets in with quality time over quantity, but you can't fool kids. What happened to doing without until you saved up for it? People are in a hurry and are not prepared to wait — hence the introduction of 5 year no interest plans to upgrade to the new monster sized TV or whatever people decide they must have and cannot live without. Greed and coveting is so ugly but people cannot see it as the world tells them that they deserve it now, hurry get it now! I can imagine Satan saying this while he winks his perverted eyes knowing he can influence anyone at weak moments. He understands the human psyche and excels at marketing. Not even a challenge these days except with a small minority who truly know God and this is where our enemy feverishly works relentlessly to tempt parents with distractions. Are you distracted by anything worldly, causing an imbalance in your life by taking time away from worshipping God while you try building on this relationship with Him and your family, whether physical or spiritual?
Imagine if God was distracted with everything going on in this world and did not have time for us, giving us only the remains of the day to make our prayers and if we needed more time, nope that's it! Thankfully God gives us all the time we choose to spend with Him, all day and even all night when we cannot sleep due to tossing and turning while wrestling with stressful problems. We need Him 24/7 and so do our most precious children who need us around the clock. All those mums who stay at home have my utmost respect and admiration because they have not given their children over to the school system of this world where bullying, false teachings and all sorts of confusion reign. During my childhood it was not so as boys were boys and girls were girls. Language such as binary, non-binary, drag queens, asexual, pansexual and the acronym LGBTQIA+ did not exist, and add to that a whole heap more confusion piled on by the one who originates such things in order to influence people against everything God stands for such as the sanctity of one man and one woman united under the marriage covenant. Being a parent in these times poses many more challenges than I had as a parent. We need to pray for parents and children in our congregations to withstand the influence of the devil who will never give up.
Yet as strong and widespread as these attacks are on humanity, there is hope by enjoying the blessing of young families attending in various congregations who are obedient to God. Such a difference from the children in the world who are steeped in pagan practices and are running amok while many have significant depression and confusion over whether they are male or female, choosing wrong alternatives to be something else, convinced they are different and were born this way. This is just one way Satan tries to control population growth with dirty tactics as, of course, he absolutely hates the idea of humankind procreating and increasing in number. After all he can't reproduce himself therefore he cannot stand to have us doing so as his catchcry is always "it's unfair, it is not fair!" On top of this he cannot accept that humans will judge and rule over angels in the future (1 Corinthians 6:3) of which Satan is the chief fallen angel. How this threatens his pride and self aggrandizement. Then there is the matter of our inheritance he has major issue with (1 Peter 1:3-12).
Some of us want to be grandparents but are not due to our adult children choosing "alternative" lifestyles. Our joy is found in being honorary or church grandparents to those littlies amongst brethren we know locally. For years we have waited and now find that we are blessed with 5 young children in a very small congregation. The older children are all good role models for the youngest by showing polite manners with ability to speak to adults sensibly and appropriately in remarkable maturity, and by listening to their parents attentively. Children taught God's way makes all the difference as well as providing the best start in life with homeschooling. As a single parent during my youngest child's formal education years I had no option but to send her to school while I worked. She was bullied mercilessly in primary school and now I deeply regret this decision. It is very easy to see the mistakes of others while we make mistakes ourselves but we all have choices to make and consequences follow eventually, if not immediately.
Getting back to a needle in a haystack, this is what I think it must be like for God's children called out of the world. So rare to find as the vast majority of the population worldwide do not keep the Sabbath or know God as we do. Some say it is like winning the multi-million dollar lottery while I think it is even rarer and more elusive than this, however not impossible, like finding a four leaf clover. Did you ever try to find one as a child? Well I did, but despite quite some time during a few weekends of painstakingly looking, one never appeared. Someone said they were real and I believed them. Children are so impressionable with little minds trying to make sense of a very big world yet without experience. It really does matter what our children see and hear and parents are responsible for this. Arguably, the worst thing a parent can do is say one thing but do another. This is called hypocrisy. Children pick up on it with lightning speed because they are young and their heads have not been filled up with pollutants such as perversions. They keep things simple, therefore they can grasp easily right from wrong yet need attentive and truthful teachers, and parents are responsible and made accountable for this.
Our calling we receive from God is so valuable, our greatest treasure, and those called, God's children are like a needle in a haystack, a drop in the ocean, never mind the proverbial bucket, almost invisible, we are that small in number in proportion to the billions of people alive right now. However, the time is coming very soon when we will be fully exposed to the world as Sabbath keepers and our work here will be stopped, shut down, cut off, terminated through being made unlawful and life as we know it will dramatically change. It is all part of our great God's plan of course as He allows these things to take place before the end comes when Christ returns. Until then, we are to continue to be doing all we can daily by going about our Father's business, as Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong would say, by preparing, waiting, watching, and clinging to God in prayer while we observe world events. Did you know that in 2026, just 4 years away, it will be the 40th anniversary of his death? Does it feel like 40 years in the wilderness to some of you?
As we wait for God's church to go through the monumentally testing times coming, watch for the man of sin and the beast to be revealed, the abomination of desolation set up, Jerusalem will be surrounded, and know that within the space of 30 days — from one new moon to the next — the English speaking countries such as England, America, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada will fall in power. God has revealed to His children through prophecy what will occur (Amos 3:7). Reading scripture from part of the Old Testament has been my major study this past week understanding that everything written in Daniel will take place and the generation living now will see these things occur in their lifetime. Lest we think we are doing enough and are tempted to continue to coast along with Laodicean traits, we are most likely not using our full potential, as we can always improve, and have been suitably warned in Matthew 25:1-13. This is another wake up call to assess and examine ourselves prior to Passover, which is now only a few weeks away.