The Journey - Nearing the End

When the sight of the summit comes into view, perhaps as you climb over a hillock, you find yourself smiling and getting an inner strength to make the final push to the peak. You know it will be worth it, partly because of the effort you have put in already, and partly due to the fact that in spite of the sore feet and legs, the sense of accomplishment is very real. And at this point, any pain is forgotten, and you can only see the summit. You are not quite there yet.

Have you been in the room of someone who is at the final part of their life’s journey, but haven’t quite reached the end? My experience has shown that there are folks who have made up their mind to be the kind of pilgrim who have an assurance that God will say, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of heaven”. Being in the presence of a saint going home is an experience never to be forgotten. Sadly, there are some others who do not have that same peace, and the end of the road is clouded, dark, and uncertain.

The kind of journey’s end you and I will face is the result of our own choices down the years we have been given, until we got to this point. I have known many people who never gave their ‘ending’ much thought while they had the time, and when time was running out, they panicked. A few made a good end, but most didn’t. How about you?

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have served the Lord faithfully. Now, a prize is waiting for me—the crown that will show I am right with God. The Lord, the judge who judges rightly, will give it to me on that Day. Yes, he will give it to me and to everyone else who is eagerly looking forward to his coming. 2 Timothy 4:7,8

Perfect Storm

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Matt 24:5-7 NIV

I am no expert on any subject, as anyone who reads my thoughts regularly will know, but something isn’t right ‘out there’ in the big wide world. Do you keep an eye on the news? If so, you will have seen the same things as me. Things like:

The Arab Spring which fades almost as fast as it rises, and in its wake leaves thousands dead or injured.

The monetary crisis in Europe’s Eurozone started by a few financial ‘experts’, but affecting millions of ordinary people.

Global Warming affecting the polar icecaps at a rate never before known, causing tidal changes which in turn affects global temperatures and impacts established climate patterns.

A drop in ethics and morality in the civilised, once Christian western cultures, leading to high crime rates and a generation which is not taught the difference between good and evil, because evil may not exist, and everything is relative. Nothing is absolute, and especially not truth.

Then, at least for me, the biggest one of all is the sabre rattling of North Korea as it thumbs its nose in hatred of the capitalist ‘religious’ western world in general, and the USA in particular. While they posture, and position their long range, possibly nuclear missiles in areas to target enemy nations around the globe, we shiver in fear and disbelief. The chances are, if you are reading this, you are living in a country which is already in the crosshairs of their sights.

Any one of these, taken on its own, would be trouble enough, but when they all happen together you could be forgiven for thinking about that ‘perfect storm’ which in some folk’s minds could spell Armageddon, or is that taking it too far? Prophecy is not my strong point, but the signs are undeniable and plain to see, so could they show a clear and present danger to civilisation as we know it today? If so, what do we do about it? In fact, what can we do about it at our level? Maybe not a lot when we think of the complexity of the world stage.

Jesus has some advice for His followers. He tells us not to be alarmed. Nice one! Jesus tells us not to worry! What, seriously? Does Jesus not know what is happening today? Of course he does, and that makes His advice even more important and relevant. There is nothing we can do to influence world politics, but there is something we can do for ourselves, and that is stop worrying. However, in truth, we can only do that when we are resting fully in the safety of His Salvation and love. We need to get right before a Holy and Just God, stay there, and start to live Christ-like lives as though we mean it. How many warnings would it take for us to do that I wonder? Just asking.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. 2 Peter 3:9-11 NIV