Some people just laugh it off and say, "I don't believe that mumbo jumbo". There are also the Christians who just don't believe it will happen in their lifetime. Denying the possibility for fear of failure or fear of just dying in general (at least from a physical perspective). The typical,"but there's so much I haven't done God"(read this next sentence with you can do in heaven the most paramount sarcasm) "I'm sorry my child, I forgot that the things you can do on earth will be way more awesome than the things of heaven --I'll postpone my return." Oh the irony of desiring the best and seeking the world.
"To be or not to be, that is the question"; however, the other question is who gets to decide, because if Jesus decides to come back, then who's going to stop him, even if you choose to root for the devil. The battle is already lost. "Are you ready?" What I fear the most is the book of Revelations. The events that lead to his coming. My friend who heard the man preaching felt the same way too...
My friend heard those words again, "are you ready?" and began to ask himself, what if Jesus came back right now. A conviction came over him, not guilt, guilt leads to a drowning in sorrow while conviction is a stepping stone in the progression of faith. My friend said it's not that he felt like he was a wicked man who needed to change his ways because he was treading the waters of sin to Hell's ship. No, not at all. He just said he felt like God was saying get your act together, be the man I intended you to be. Remember what it's ALL about.
As my friend got into his car to leave it went from a beautiful day to grey skies. His stomach dropped, "Could this be it?", Hail began to fall, more intense with each second until his senses heightened convincing himself this is the time. What if Hail is one of the natural epidemics to start off the return of the king? (Not the Lord of the Rings movie, either something way more intense). An abundance of untold sins he could not remember for the life of him suddenly became recollections of the most intricate detail. He began to profess his sins as the hail heightened seeking forgiveness, a get out of hell free card in a world monopolized by the devil, but redeemed by God. His heart rate rapidly increases until --the hail stops. It is done.
Later that afternoon he contemplates the events of the day still ready to run to Abba. He begins reading Revelations focused on each individual letter of the text, he draws upon a single sentence having never read this book of the bible before, "When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire were mixed with blood and thrown on the earth. One-third of the earth was burned up, one-third of the trees was burned up, and all the green grass was burned up." Revelations 8:7, and then, "And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe." Revelations 16:21. He was brought back to the earlier question of the day, What if Hail is one of the natural epidemics to start off the return of the king? God had answered. Not only is it one of them , but it is what comes with the sound of the FIRST angel's trumpet! What is God trying to say? I have no answer. I would rather not elaborate a theory for something that put my life back into perspective, but I can only look upon the sequence of events in my friend's story and tell him what God told me through him --not what God intends to tell him. Although I hope in doing so God reveals to him what he intended to make of this whole narrative.
I can only end this entry in one way and that is with a question which I hope you won't take as lightly as you took it in first line...
"Are you Ready?"
Hey there Ryan!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to comment on this post, because it is so pertinent to exactly my thoughts recently. In church on Sundays, my pastor has been speaking about signs if the "end" and what Jesus says in Matthew, and as a result, it has really got me thinking. I guess, more convicted that I tend to be the one praying for Jesus to return, but at the same time whispering "but how about after I get married" or "after I go to college." and I realize almost immediately how selfish and terribly those thought were/are. It is frustrating sometimes how "world"-set our minds can be. On the flip side, I also find myself struggling with wanting the return of Christ to postpone because I see so many people about me who are not ready. It is scary to think...my best friend, the person who sitsnext to me in class, my aunt, my uncle....ect. are they ready? And what I have been learning is that the fear for those people should only strengthen the passion I have to show them the love of Christ, it is the only way. All else is up to God and God alone....yeah, I am starting to learn what it means to trust in God...and I got to say, it is surely a life-long, rough terrain, journey. Thank you for this Ryan...it was a wake up. : ) God Bless,
Kelsea Chaplin