From my heart this afternoon:

We are all feeling it. Feeling what? You know. Everyone is trying to figure things out these days. I’m not in fear but I feel a heavy weight. We feel the weight of the world for our family. It all starts at home and at our house we have been praying and taking things a day at a time on several different fronts. I sat our family down this past Sunday night and I told them I really believe Jesus is coming soon. I’m not into date predictions or setting a time frame but I am into being ready. Ready for the return of Christ initiated by the sound of a trumpet.

My theology based on scripture doesn’t allow for someone to wait around and see if all this Bible stuff is real and then have an opportunity to make a decision about it. We must be ready. Ready doesn’t just mean church membership, baptism, denominational affiliation, vaccinations, or political position. Ready means have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you born from above? Is Jesus Lord of your life? Are you in real-time living for Jesus?

Creation is groaning! The signs of the times are everywhere. We are seeing unprecedented world events and a global pandemic like we haven’t seen in our lifetime. There is division on so many fronts. Opinions abound. Most people have a good source and if you put five people in the same room you will have an array of experts that have helped them all reach decisions that ultimately become “common sense” for everyone else. In other words, where I land you should land in the same place.

Trevin Wax writes in his book This is Our Time about G.K. Chesterton in the 1930s. Chesterton was observing the world view that society was progressing and moving forward. He concluded that the world is never really digressing or progressing but it is constantly in a state of wobbling. Trevin suggests that Christians must figure out a way to keep their bearings while the world continues to wobble.

Today, we have turmoil in our country. Many things, not just one! We have a crisis in Afghanistan getting Americans and Christians out safely. We have flooding, earthquakes, fire, and storms. We are tossed in every direction hour by hour. The real question for today is this. Will Christians keep their bearings and stay focused on Christ while the world is groaning around us? I pray we will! Fight for joy. Fight for peace. Fight for unity. It’s worth it!