"The disciples came to Him privately, saying, “what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)
Today
people are in a frenzied panic, clearing grocery store shelves of toilet
paper, hand sanitizer and water because they are looking only at the immediate looming problem; albeit a
global pandemic.
I won't even mention the name of the specific virus because
everyone on the planet has already heard it repeated every five seconds on the
news and Internet.
Yesterday I was getting freaked out a little by the local and national state of emergencies being issued. Not because I'm afraid of getting sick, or even dying. What scares me are hordes of crazy people with guns robbing people and invading our homes looking for food and toilet paper. That's the real Zombie Apocalypse.
Seriously though, we who belong to Jesus Christ should not live in fear, even in frightening times such as these. Why? Because God has promised us some amazing promises:
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
And this:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (John 14:1-4)
And:
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)
Besides all that, God told us in advance of the signs of the times signaling the end of the age, and His Second Coming. So while things like the current pandemic are very alarming, we shouldn't be caught by surprise when they do occur. Here Jesus talks about the specific signs preceding His return:
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:6-8)
'Hundreds of millions of desert locusts swarmed into Kenya from Ethiopia and Somalia, decimating farmland, threatening the food supply of tens of millions' (National Geographic, 2/14/2020).'The national Earthquake Information Center now locates about 20,000 earthquakes each year, or approximately 55 per day.' (www.usgs.gov)'Rumors of wars' with Iran and North Korea flood the news and Internet on a continuing basis."115 Million people are on the brink of starvation worldwide.' (UN, 4/12/2019)
Jesus warned His people of the signs of the times that will signal the end of the age and His Second Coming. Knowing that, we should be aware of these things and be looking up, excitedly anticipating His return!
When we allow ourselves to focus on, get distracted and bogged down by, and even afraid of the things happening in this fallen world today, we take our eyes off Jesus and His promises in the Bible.
And that is not a good witness to the sea of lost souls all around us.
In troubled times we who put faith in Christ should be people who are living in confidence in our Savior, loving one another, full of hope, ready to help, loving the unlovable. Forgiving those who wrong us.
People are watching us. Seeing how we react to the times we are living in. How we respond to trouble in our lives. Are we walking what we talk?
Point people to Jesus Christ. The whole world needs the Savior.
Scary times like we are living in tend to bring the people to their knees who were once so self confident and who didn't previously see their need for God.
God is calling them.
But they won't know the Gospel unless we share it with them.
"How then shall they call on Him in whom
they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they
have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)
—God is Love and Love Never Fails.
No comments:
Post a Comment