SMOG

Picture for TFTW2

I saw a quote the other day that said this, “Knowing that I am not the one in control gives great encouragement. Knowing the One who is in control is everything”. Reading this quote took my mind way back to a time that I’m sure our older readers will remember. Yes, I’m talking about a time BCH - Before Central Heating!
 
To enable heating the house relied on burning coal in open fires and old boilers. Of course, you can imagine all that black smoke from the fires streaming out of the chimney into the atmosphere. With the combination of winter fog and the smoke coming from the houses, offices and factories, there came to be what was called “smog”.
 
One day, as a young lad leaving our scout hut after our scout meeting, I was met with this smog. You may well not know how dense this swirling, greeny-grey smog could be. I can remember literally, not being able to see my hand in front of my face. I could feel the warmth of my hand on my face, but the smog was so dense there was virtually no visibility. So, going home, a journey of about five minutes, took something like an hour. Every step was unknown, feeling for lampposts or familiar fences, not knowing where road junctions were. As you can imagine, hardly anybody was about, and cars had stopped. It was an eerie world, not really knowing where you were and certainly not feeling in control. I remember hoping that my dad would come out to meet me and take me safely home.
 
Do you know what? In these dark and frightening times, we have a God who is still in control we may not be able to see the way forward, we may be living in a smog, but God is there for you and me. His Word says, “I will never leave you; I will never forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:8
 

V,RayL, 17/01/2021