But soon....

"But soon" is a very integral part of any story or any fairy tale a child wants to hear. It is as important as "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after"

It marks the transition from the good part of the story to the bad part. It often introduces the villian (perhaps a character already known), bringing in the real nature of the character. It relates with complacency and laziness of our hero who took things for granted, whom we thought was picture perfect.

Whatever said and done, it being an integral part of the story, the story cannot go forward without it. A smooth ride, no change in course, without which it is no stroy at all. Without the introduction of the villian or the bad situation how whould we prove that good wins over bad? How could a hero or a heroine come forward and save and ultimately live happily ever after?

It would look like the bedtime story I would tell my boys, when  I am terribly tired and sleepy. As I slip into oblivion I would continue on the mundane, pushing them too. Like - "There was this elephant who was going to school. He was walking and walking and walking and walking and on and on and on and on......

In 1Sam:12, Samuel in his farewell speech brings in a point. In v:9 "But the people soon forgot"

In the subsequent story of Israel, we see this happening very often. So He handed them over to their enemies. Then they cry out to God and He sends someone to rescue them.

It's man's nature to forget God when things are very comfortable. It's his fallen marred nature. But no excuses. Never be too late. When God prompts let us look unto His face and be reinstated. For trials are God given opportunities, God given signposts to look unto Him - be it sickness, be it financial bankruptcy, be it depression, be it joblessness, be it a difficult boss or coworker or partner.

Trials are an integral part of our lives just like "But soon" which marks the twist of our story, without which we would continue in our routine rebellion and forgetting God. Fooling ourself in ostentatious jargon.

I have come that you may have life to its fullness

So when trials come, let us not blame God, let us not curse or question Him. Let us ask Him questions and find out why, and then be reinstated to Him and throw ourselves into His bosom.

Malayalam translation of "draw me nearer" has a chorus which transliterates into - "Thank you Lord for sending me the angel of sickness, so as to attract me to you."