Earlier this week I was listening to a radio interview of a best-selling author, a man who lives his life observing world events and as a result has written over 20 books, one of which was made into a movie.
While being interviewed, he made a statement that smacked me between the eyes and sobered me spiritually. He said, “we live in a world that is literally filled with signs!”
As far as I know, he’s not a Christian, yet even through his secular worldview, he can’t ignore the fact that the earth and heavens alike are overflowing with blaring signs! Signals that something or someone is trying to get our attention, trying to let us know the present world and everything about it is changing!
As Christians, this shouldn’t sound unfamiliar because Jesus Himself made every effort to describe what things would be like just before His second return. In fact, He faulted the religious leaders of His day for being able to predict the weather, but not being able to reads the signs all around them of His first coming.
In Luke 21 Jesus named some very specific signs that would lead up to His second return. He even indicated there would be signs in the sun, is it possible the recent solar flares everyone is talking about is a sign He was referring to?
I’ll let you decide, but here’s my concern, many people, including Christians aren’t paying attention to what’s coming. We’re not catching our cues that the God of heaven through creation is sounding an alarm, one that’s saying, “get ready…I’m coming. Get your house in order, set your sights on me and while there’s still time, boldly pray, work and tell the story of my mercy, grace and forgiveness.
The language of scripture is even more forceful and clear, it declares, “…go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23)
The end of days doesn’t mean we have to be afraid, know how to hotwire a car, order survival gear or hunker down in a cave, instead, every new day should remind us that God is patient. That He’s waiting for His Church (that’s us) to reach out to as many people as possible with His love and grace.
Not wanting anyone to perish, He’s patiently giving us more time to pray, preach and reach the many who are unknowingly crying out for His love and forgiveness. (2 Peter 3:9)
Let's shake off what distracts and stops us and stir our hearts toward the Father, committing ourselves with a fresh decision to go after Him and live conscious of the reality of His return.
Decide to step out, move forward and pray, love, give, demonstrate and tell the story of the One Who was and is and is to come!
I challenge you before you finish reading this, write down the name of one person who’s far from God and begin to pray for them. Then let the Holy Spirit lead you to develop a relationship with them, share your faith and/or invite them to your Church.
Remember, you and I are Jesus’ hands, His feet and His mouthpiece. If we don’t pray, who will? If we don’t go, who will and if we don’t speak for Him, who will?
