Warned Of The End

`So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.’  Mark 13:23 (NIV)

Is it a special blessing to watch as Jesus lays out for us all that will happen in the days and times leading up to the End?  There are many people today who like to seek out a fortuneteller to see if they will fall in love, find success or live a happy life.  But does the Christian need to go to a fellow earthling in the hopes of taking a peek at what is in store?  Have we been given a sufficient look at what is still to come?

Could we say that it is fine and normal for a human to wonder about what his or her walk on earth will be like?  Shall we concern ourselves with whether or not we will fall in love?  When we are young and not married, it is one of the themes most pressing on our conscious.  It would take a super-hero with nerves of steel to stop these natural tendencies of thought and desire.  But where are we looking?  Who are we concerned with?  Are we giving the Lord the first and foremost concern?  Or do we spend more time worrying about ourselves?  Who is the god?  Who takes the first seat of importance?  We say that it is our Lord, but do our actions back us up?  Do our quiet thoughts throughout the day betray us?  Have we spent our time dreaming of what we would like for ourselves?  Do we dedicate just a few moments to worship to God, and then fill up the majority of the day pursuing all our own fancies?

Jesus Christ came and took the time and the care to spell it out for us.  He tells us now to be on our guard.  Has He given us enough warning?  The events He speaks of are grand and global events.  Is He speaking of one-time, physical and literal events?  Or is He speaking as He often does of more general concepts, states, or conditions of the soul?  However we read them, does the urgency come home to us?  Have we heard those words and taken them to heart?  Should such global and threatening events take a back seat to the status of our love-life?  Should we put God on hold while we try to figure out who will pass these days with us in matrimony?

Nobody would be fair to say that the every-day parts of our life are not important.  It would be a crime to not give them serious thought.  God gave us hearts that feel, yearn and even burn into raging torrents of emotion, love and elation.  But should even these things be first and foremost directed and offered up to our Lord?  Are we living in times where we can give way to the desirable pursuits of our worldly nature?  Or is Jesus gently pressing upon us His warnings?  Is He attempting to reach us today with the urgency of our times?  Are we heeding His warnings?  What are we doing about them?  Are we headed in the right direction?

Dear Jesus, so often we think about Your promised return.  It fills us with great happiness to know that our existence is part of God´s great plan.  We look forward to Your return and Your shining Kingdom.  However we find ourselves still locked in today.  You have warned us of what to expect before Your triumphant return.  We have heard and understood that there will be dangers and threats.  Please help us to heed Your warnings and be on our guard.  Let no one or no thing sneak in between us.  Let us not lose sight of our goal?  Reserve for You a few who would take Your warnings and seek You BEFORE all else.  Keep us and save us to see that glorious day of Your return.

Amen