Never Happened Here Before

The Asian community was struck by an earthquake with the magnitude of 7.7. In other words, huge. The date was March 28, 2025, and the location of the epicenter was near the center of Myanmar, very close to Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay. It was felt more than 600 miles away in the large, urban city of Bangkok, Thailand, which saw devastation never seen before – collapsing skyrise building, roads buckling, water from penthouse skyrises sloshing over the sides like a giant waterfall. For the people of Thailand, who have never felt an earthquake before, this was a generational event. 

Yet another example of things happening on this terrestrial ball that have never happened before. Seems like Global Warming was just the start. Or maybe this world is just starting the process of winding down. Like an elderly person’s bones creaking and cracking, loss of senses like hearing, and perhaps the twinkle of dementia forming. 

Besides earthquakes, there have been more and more hurricanes along the Eastern coast of the United States. More cases of flooding in many parts of the world. More tornadoes? Don’t know but seems likely. Things happening in areas that have either never happened before or are happening with more and more intensity and regularity. 

Reminds me of the verse in the Bible when Jesus is speaking to his apostle about the End Times: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:7-8). Certainly, we’ve been seeing all of that, lately. Though, I suppose one could make an argument that this terrestrial ball has been seeing nations rising against nations, earthquakes, and famine (oh, and lots more!) happening over and over ever since Jesus spoke those words. 

But, I don’t know, somehow it feels more intense now, and happening more often. Especially in places where it never really happened before. Like in Bangkok. 

I suppose there is a time for everything, both good and bad. Makes me think of the Byrds song, “Turn, Turn, Turn,” which is based on Bible verses in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three. I’ll leave you with a few of those verses to ponder further. 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 
 a time to be born and a time to die, 
 a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
 a time to kill and a time to heal, 
 a time to tear down and a time to build, 
 a time to weep and a time to laugh, 
 a time to mourn and a time to dance, 
 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, 
 a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 
 a time to search and a time to give up, 
 a time to keep and a time to throw away, 
 a time to tear and a time to mend, 
 a time to be silent and a time to speak, 
 a time to love and a time to hate, 
 a time for war and a time for peace. 
 (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)

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