4 days ago, I drove through Long John Silvers.

It’s one of my “been-awhile” places.  I only go there when I drive by and think, “hey, it’s been awhile since I had that”.

I got some chicken, some fish, and some onion rings, and a drink.

And it was good.  But then…

I drove by today…and the place is gone.

I mean, the building is still there, but the sign out front and the signs on the building have all been removed.  The place is closed!

After the initial shock of seeing a place suddenly un-exist, I got to thinking:

What if I was the last customer to ever drive through that Long John Silvers?

I mean, it’s plausible!  The place had been on its last legs for years.  They never got much business where they were.

Right after I drove through, the manager could have called a meeting and delivered the bad news to the employees.

I may have eaten their last onion ring.  Weird.

My mind wanders to scriptures about God pruning the vine that didn’t bear much fruit (or fish?).  Or Jesus saying nobody knows when the time is coming.

Or Proverbs 27:1 that says:

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Of course, these scriptures all point to theological concepts.  To faithfulness and alertness in the light of the coming Kingdom.

Not to the closing down of an outdated chain restaurant in the slow part of town.

Still, I am reminded of the impermanence of things.  How quickly the landscape of our lives changes.

How anything we do on this Earth we may be doing for the last time.

Is it weird that I’m kind of sad? Not about the food, really–I can eat much healthier fare somewhere else.

No, I guess I’m sad at the reminder that time wears everything down.  Even me.

But then, I catch a glimpse of the coming Kingdom. There’s a promise there.  Something eternal.  Something forever.  Something to put my faith in.

A place to strive to live in.

To quote the LJS jingle, “Sounds good to me.”

I think to myself, “So Long John Silvers”…

I’ve got bigger fish to fry.

Have a good week,

Mitch