Last year, I think it was, in a nationwide survey, that the town acquired the unenviable distinction of being listed in the top fifty worst towns to live in and was the only town in the province to feature in the list, though 'feature' is probably an inappropriate word. I have to say I wasn't particularly bothered by its newly gained fame, having spent my school life in the neighbouring city of Armagh which was marginally closer to home. And of course it is a city with history, ancient buildings, a Royal school dating back four hundred years, the two major cathedrals of the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland churches and a spectacular Mall joined by Georgian houses. And of course our greatest enemies on the rugby field both at school and club level lived just ten miles down the road in Portadown. For some reason, we rarely beat them and in close matches they always just scraped home. So in terms of sport, particularly rugby, no love was ever lost and each town club was unimpressed by the other's success but jubilant at their failures. Yet for some reason, I almost always gravitated towards Portadown, partly because it had always a greater range of shops and at one stage had at least three good record stores where there always was a chance to find something worth buying. Also I chose the town for my banking and often we would sidle into one of its cafes on an afternoon or Saturday morning for a coffee and scone. It was always the more progressive town in erecting new business and shopping areas and seemed to attract outlets that its more parochial neighbour could only dream about. With a population of about thirty thousand and nestled on both sides of the Bann river traversing its width at two points, an ornate train station, Irish League football club, nearby hospital and five minutes from the motorway, it seemed an ideal place to reside. But years often take their toll on any town. As I drive along the long side street that once led to the station where I often boarded the train as a child, there only stands an image in my head of what once was a beautiful building. I was too young to understand why they pulled it down and relocated to an eyesore near the centre of towns. Maybe the powers that be were anticipating the death of the railway, or maybe the building was in a bad state of repair, but it was part of old Portadown, just like many of the streets that have given way to new developments and an extensive road system that allows most commuters to bypass the town centre. Progress, no doubt! Along with the troubles which blighted the town since the early seventies, the overall effect was to see the demise of many locally owned shops and the short term stay for more national chains, though a walk or a drive along its long High Street leading towards the church on an evening was only spectacular if you enjoyed seeing the metal shutters that hid the heart of the town from view. And at one stage, there seemed to be more financial institutions, insurance and estate agents than shops along that main street, but slowly the town whose heart was broken has been receiving major surgery and that 'worst town' tag is not an accurate reflection of its present state at all. Still, that doesn't make me want to support their rugby team! So it was interesting that the town made the news during the last few weeks again, this time not due to any 'troubles' but really because of the fact that their long standing as a senior club in the Irish League since 1924 was about to be suddenly curtailed and all due to a period of fifteen minutes. Imagine that. You spend over eighty years building up the club to be one of the most successful in the province and your future is over in a quarter of an hour. Suffice to say that despite their appeals and excuses, it looks like Portadown town will not have a senior football club next year because they were late with their papers for the new league by fifteen minutes, even though they probably had two years to prepare their application. But that's life, isn't it? If my application for a job is late, I'm not eligible and if I don't pay my credit card bill in time I'm penalised. I have no complaint if I fail to meet a deadline for almost always the cut off date and time are clearly displayed and worse still, I know about them.
Maybe that's why some people are so laid back about their souls. For while we all know that Jesus had promised to come back and take all those who believe in Him back to heaven, He hasn't exactly given us an exact time or date and so a certain lack of urgency has maneged to creep into too many lives. But look at this way. If I was applying for a job and only the person advertising the post knew the closing date, I think I would be pretty keen to get my application in as early as possible. Of course God never told us the exact date when His Son would return, because too many would live their lives as they pleased until the day or hour before and that is hardly what He had in mind when He sent Him the first time to die for your sins. Many would say that signs indicated in the Bible suggest that His return is near and it certainly is closer than it was last week but for me the important thing is not only to be ready in time but to experience the peace and joy that He brings to my life here on earth, while I try to walk in his way.
Jesus says 'So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.' And Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, 'I tell you, now is the time of God's favour, now is the day of salvation.' Fifteen minutes isn't a long time to be late, but it could be for ever.
