Skip to main content

Facing the Future

             so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

How do you feel about the return of Christ? I’m a little ambivalent, partly because we don’t know the date and partly because I know some folks interpret Revelation differently. Sometimes, I’m sure they’re wrong, but there are other times when I’m not entirely sure I’m right. Another reason is that I’ve heard people talk who are a little over-the-top about it. They’re so focused on someday that “someday” is their only response to everything. But perhaps it’d be more honest for me to say that the main reason I have some doubts about Christ’s return is because, while I know His return is going to happen, I believe that now is going to continue on forever. I believe that, despite my own experience showing otherwise, it’s not true.

When I say I believe “now is going to continue on forever,” I don’t mean that I’d argue with you that it will. I mean it’s the concept that informs my life and my behavior even though, if you challenged me about it, I’d agree with you it’s a lie. My life has undergone significant changes over the past nine months, but life goes on. I get up in the morning, do whatever it is I have to do that day, and go to bed at night. I don’t actively expect everything to drastically change, even though I know it could. I suspect I'm not alone.

I’ve started reading a book that talks about living with gratitude toward the past and expectation for the future, with life as a journey. I can’t say it’s revolutionized my thinking, but I’m open for it to do so. You’ll probably hear more about it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations of the Heart

  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm19:14)           As I started writing this post, I noted that the meditations of my heart are all over the mental landscape, from a hub where eight superhighways come together to a lunar or nuclear landscape. Do you see my error? The moment I read the word meditation , I think about thoughts. But what’s described here is the meditations of our hearts ; our wills.           While the meditations of our minds may be all over the place, the meditations of our wills tend to be a little more stable by the time we are adults. We no longer tend to want to pursue the ten separate careers we did in any given day as children. Part of this is humble acceptance of reality. We come to understand that we can’t do it all. I think another part of it is disappointmen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen To Him

              The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him . (Deuteronomy 18:15)           Today, we switch from Jesus’ claims of “I am” to prophecies made about Him. My Bible platform is starting in Deuteronomy. I’d start in Genesis, where we would learn that the one who would save us would be a descendant of Eve (Genesis 3:15), of Noah (by default), Abram and Sara(Genesis 12:1-3). Isaac (Genesis 17:19), Jacob (Genesis 25:23), Judah (Genesis 29:8), and David (II Samuel 7:12-16). There were also references to a new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-32). In addition, there were prophecies about when and where the prophet/Messiah would be born and what would happen to him.           Of course, naysayers will claim that Jesus’ life was retrofitted or reverse enginee...
Post a Comment
Read more