No Appointment Made
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5
I know I should feel guilty about just reading 1 chapter but I'm pretty wearied and it's the end of this chapter and I will do better next time. I promise!
Anyways, the eye catching phrase this time around is basically that first paragraph (verses 1-3). Paul spells it out pretty clear: there's no way we're going to know when the end of the world is coming until it's actually underway. Yet people are so compeltely preoccupied with how to hasten it, how to delay it, etc. For some reason, I just find it so ironic that it's the first and last books of the Bible that seem to cause the most trouble. Yet, in the big scheme of things, they're probably two of the more trivial books. Both can be summed up with: God is in control. Or, to paraphrase Bill Cosby, God brought us into this world and he sure as heck is going to take us out. And that's comforting. No, really!
And now I'm very tired but it was a short post for once, so that's something :)
posted by Matt Wiggins @ 11:52 PM
3 Comments:
A friend of mine mentioned a verse in Revelations that said there would be one person from every nation, tribe, and . . . well I'm thinking at least one person from everywhere represented among those who are saved. Does this mean that the end times will come only after, we as fishermen and fisherwomen, get to every spot on the globe? I really don't know because no one does right? God is always on time and I think that goes with what you're saying Wiggins about God being in control and all. He is in control beyond our wildest dreams and imaginations, in control of EVERYTHING. I can find peace in that, how about you?
I love you man :-)
God bless and goodnight, esm
P.S I just saw "Goodnight, and Goodluck." It's a great movie.
God's providence is really something I've been coming to trust more in the last year. I've been able to look back over my life and see times when I thought I was alone or that were really painful (my parents' divorce, my father moving away, times of illness, etc.). I am now able to see how some of them have gotten me to where I am in life. If not for those things (along with countless others), I would not be working at CPC or Wakonda, nor would I be in the incredible relationship I am, nor would I be as close to God as I am now.
I taught a lesson the other day to my youth that dealt with the inconveniences of life, the little annoyances that slow us down (a phone call, having to stop for a train, or other unexpected delays). We looked at them through the lens of purpose, with the idea that we were supposed to get where we were going later.
Related: I got a forwarded e-mail the other day (normally the kind that I skim and delete), but I stopped to read it. It told of stories of individuals on 9-11. Each one dealt with things that had prevented the people from getting to work on time, thereby saving their lives. (one's child took too long to get ready, another had to pick up the office donuts, another was stuck in traffic) All were things that could have been seen as inconveniences. So to make a parable lesson of all of this: the next time you are unexpectedly delayed, look at it as God's way of slowing you down. It may not be as fortunate as sparing your life, but we have to trust His plan and that He loves us.
That's one of the going theories, ESM, and part of one of my contingency plans to forestall the rapture:
A) Have at least one holdout South American tribe who we keep completely isolated so they can never hear the Gospel and
B) Get enough people to each take every second of a day and go around publishing that "God is coming at 10:02:58 am" every single day. If we can't know when God's coming, he can't use a predicted time to make his reappearance. So, if we do that for every day, he can never come back! Ha!
I'm so smited.
Good thoughts too, Ben. Almost makes me want to sing, "God blessed the brooooken road that brought me to you!"
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