Good Thursday morning! You may or may not have glanced at a clock, but I'll bet that you know when the weather front arrived last night. I recall the moment quite clearly. I think the whole house moved a little when that first wind blast came through town. No doubt some folks received quite the surprise. Anyone could have read the weather forecast and had fair warning that a front was due to arrive. We know that some will not bother to read the forecast though. A dismissive, "They're never right anyway!" and on they go with their lives. Of course you can see what a fine example of the return of Christ this makes.
In the same way, Jesus gave us a forecast in Revelation and in his Olivet discourse in Matthew 24. We have fair warning that Jesus is coming, but some will still be taken completely by surprise. I don't think anyone knows how many Bibles are available throughout the world, many millions certainly, but many of those are not read. Even among those who read their Bibles, we don't always watch the signs as Jesus told us to do. One night, much like last night for us, we may awaken to something new arriving. We can look for it and be overjoyed to see the Son coming, or we can be caught like one of those dumb criminal we hear about. When the surprise comes, all will know that the forecast was correct.
Meteorologists are getting better at forecasting the weather. Often today we are told about when the storm or weather front will arrive, and just as often the forecast is correct. In the same way we should be getting better at forecasting the return of Jesus. There are signs to watch for and we have more access to information today than at any time in the known past. I note the protests going on in the Middle East and realize that a "sea" of humanity is tossing much like an ocean. We could see a beast rising from this "sea" very soon. We can read about piracy and corporate crime and realize that lawlessness is on the increase. Just last night the news warned of increasing food prices again, which reminds us of the seal speaking of high food prices. In the same news report, we heard about kidnapping of children and realize that the love of some has grown cold. Of course the wars and rumors of war are ongoing, but did you see the efforts put forth in Israel and Palestine to achieve a lasting peace?
Then there is the other side: can I say that Jesus will return within the year? No, even with the signs and information available, we still cannot name a date or range. Like Paul and John centuries ago, we still know that Jesus is coming soon. We still have the command of Jesus not to worry. And we still have the assurance of Jesus that when things get dark we are to look up as our redemption draweth nigh. While it is tempting to stop working and camp out on our rooftops looking to the sky - okay, maybe not last night when the campsite would have taken flight - we are to keep our noses to the task at hand and continue to spread the good news of Christ.
Sorry, but each of us still has work to do and people to love, responsibilities to shoulder and lives to touch, before the day of the Lord's return arrives. If Jesus returns in the daytime, I want to be caught working. When the final trumpet sounds, that's an interruption I look forward to!
Enjoy the windy day in Christ!
Bucky
A computer named Watson stomped the two best human players in Jeopardy - a sign? Possibly.
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