A private in the United States Army medical department became extremely nervous when told the colonel-in-charge wanted to see him.He had not met such a senior officer before; so, he wondered what awaited him. He thought with apprehension what offence he might have committed that was to bring the boss' wrath on him.

A more awesome dread is the lot of those who are responsible for putting "all the foundations of the earth out of course". The worried writer of Psalm 82 surveys the spiritual desolation where there is gross miscarriage of justice and asks for how long this would go on.

From this pedestal, he cries out to man to go back to where God wants him to be. He must resort to fair judgment; he must not decide matters to favour the rich and the powerful in society; he must not look on while the defenceless is deprived of his goods and rights. A society in the long run is not assessed by its wealth or number of rich men. It is rated by how it accommodates the weak elements in its fold.

Since nothing escapes the all-seeing eyes of God, the psalmist offers the inevitable: "Arise, O God, judge the earth". But God does not takenpleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:32). He has made provision for the sinner to make right his way and secure pardon. He sent Jesus Christ to die a proxy death for the wicked so that the latter's sin does not take him into eteal destruction. When the sinner thus has his sin cleansed by the blood of Jesus, he does not need to have any fear of the wrath of God if he remains faithful to Him.

It is those who are not sure about their relationship with God who fear each time there is a message on the coming of the Lord. A genuine Christian, saved, sanctified and serving the Lord faithfully should not be like the American soldier