Worry

Luke 21 is a chapter where Jesus describes the time leading up to his second advent. The culmination of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, and the close of time as described in Revelation. "Man's hearts faint from fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:26.

I do not need to review the items that in our modern society would make us fearful. From crime, disease, environmental destruction, pesticide contamination, depleted soils, political unrest, global climate alteration, wars and rumors of wars. 2011 has closed as the worst year for global natural disasters (per CNN). We can all acknowledge the earth is growing old as a threadbare garment. To focus on this alone, with no hope is surely depressing! Reading Revelation does not paint a more rosy picture for the future either. We have no expectation that things will improve or resolve or get better. We see a world in decline since creation, not showing evolutionary improvement. I expect turmoil of unimaginable proportions. I see my friends, the "end-time prepers," only delaying the common end for all of wicked mankind.

In one of the most famous sermons of Jesus in the Bible, we see the command, "Do not worry." I think Jesus was looking down to our time, and He encourages you and I, "Do not worry."

It is as if Jesus says, "I know you will go through a time of trouble with intensity never compared in the entire history of earth, but I will sustain you. I have my loving eye watching and protecting you." In His own words: "Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" Matthew 6:25. Jesus tells us to trust in Him, and not to worry.

So how do we reconcile these two divergent perspectives? 

I think the root issue is one in whom we place our trust. Man apart from God, has only self reliance to depend on. The advent-focused Christian has only God to depend on. Both perspectives see that we are on the Titanic post ice burg collision. The ship we call earth is going down. God's people look for a miraculous salvation, a second coming of a physical, literal, audible Jesus in the sky. I am afraid the world's perspective creates a faint heart, and looking after those things which are coming on the earth. I wish I had some wise ray of hope... but apart from a life in Christ, I come up empty. Will you, right now, commit your life to Jesus who wants to give you a future and a hope? I pray you will.

Does the command to "Worry not" mean that God's followers have nothing to do? Shall we sit by the lake, sipping our filtered water, and waiting for the end in relative seclusion? No! We have a work to do like Noah of long ago. We need to work diligently to build an ark (figuratively). We want to steadily become more like Christ in personality, character and thought. We want to gain knowledge and experience to not only save ourselves, but to be able to teach and save others who want to survive, who want to learn about God's love for them, and want to see His face. We do not horde goods, as others would just take them. We grow extra food so that we can share. We share with neighbors, with enemies of Christ, with all, that they soon may be a friend of Jesus also.

We work, we hoe the garden, we propagate plants, we learn simple health remedies, we reach out to others in winsome ways; for the betterment of others, and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. We don't focus on end time events so we can save ourselves. We have an eternal destination, and an available invitation for you to join us. Eternity will make the struggles here seem so insignificant!