Keeping Watch

Various news of late have put the end times in my mind. I find not too many Christians like to talk about the end times with exception to the years leading up to Y2K and the popular buzz about Tim LaHaye's Left Behind series...probably because non-Christians and friends will be all weirded out and that those talking of these things will be thought of as crazy apocalyptic religious fanatics....Or maybe cuz it's freaky to think that this is a possibility - because all - Christians and non-Christians alike will suffer (even more than now), and there will be much pain. Funny though, I have the same feelings, even though as a Christian, the end times will lead to the beginning of a time when Christ conquering Satan forever; when evil, sin is vanquished. Sometimes I find I'm too cynical to believe that it will come.

Jesus disciples in the 1st century thought that it was going to come during that time; they lived and followed without any procrastination; as if each day were their last before they met God. The signs of the end times were there, in the first century.....and I can't help not see the very things Jesus tells us to look for existing today.

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call attention to its buildings. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors 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. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matt 24:1-14)

And then the news - nations rise against nations - Iran, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan; and on persecution of all sorts on followers of Christ, on earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and floods in the Caribbean, on sickness and death that's so close to home..."these are the beginnings of birth pains"...well it's not like it has never been here. But it doesn't extinguish the question - would I be ready for it if it was tomorrow? Have I lived out my faith as God willed it, or have I been procrastinating for a day that may not exist? The popular saying 'live every day as if it were last'...although normally that's the ticket to go wild and live out all the 'pleasures' of life; but this puts such a different spin on it..

Oh and then there's always these little articles (Human radio frequency chip implants) that always make me think - hmmm, could this be the mark?? (Revelations 13:16)...hahahaha - call me a little paranoid, but you know, it never hurts to wonder; to keep alert, to keep watch.

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-35)