When I was younger I looked forward to the year 2000 as a significant step in my life. I believed that major milestones would have been reached by this point, and in almost 50 years of life much has happened. Life in the 21st century seems to be much the same as life in the 20th century. I have not noticed any major differences. The electricity is still on and the water is flowing. We are still going to work, eating, and sleeping. People are still being born, and people are still dying.

My great-grandfather Curtis Zachary Taliaferro, near the turn of the last century (1899), at the age of 51 moved from Texas to Oklahoma to homestead. I'm glad I am not facing the same challenge today! But we have different challenges. Many of them are spiritual. There are increasing venues of communication from radio to internet. In addition, the print media is far advanced from simply putting words on paper to elaborate photographic images. With the increasing venues of communication have come barrages of moral temptations. We have also had an increase in addictive substances, from crack to designer drugs, and more probably on the way.

In the 21st Century, it will be easier than ever to fall away from the faith. It will be easier than ever before to seek worldly substitutes for God. In the 21st Century, only God can keep us from coming apart at the seams in the rush of technological life. I know my ancestors depended upon God to carry them through many difficult times. Only God can carry me through the time in which, I now live. What better time than now, to make a fresh commitment to God, and to live for Him during the year 2000 and beyond? What better time than now, to commit ourselves to a daily quiet time of Bible reading and prayer? What better time than now, to commit ourselves to "not forsake (ing) the assembling of ourselves together" with other believers? What better time than now, to commit ourselves to living out the Christian life before those around us? What better time than this??