2010 - Almost gone

December 27th, 2010 - another year has almost come to an end.

For myself, I find that God tends to give me some direction, purpose or task somewhere near the start of the new year. I look forward to it to be truthful - even if sometimes it seems a bit overwhelming. But this is not the new year yet, so this will not be about new directions or anything of the like.

Looking back over the last several months that have been 2010, I find myself pondering a bit. This has also come about due to recent conversations about events over the past year with others (bound to be a chat or two occur over the Christmas season). So this is what I have come to notice.

With the numerous major natural disasters that have occurred. The constant conflict in some parts of the world, not to mention the threat of more conflicts in the future (having grown up during the "cold war" era, the term "nuke" tends to get my attention - how about you?) in even more areas of the planet. Diseases and crimes on the rise. The near constant term "terrorism" that is heard on the evening news. Not to mention the unspeakable debt that some of the major countries of this world have been racking up as the economy worldwide trembles to its' very core.

With all that (and more), I have to tell you: if I did not know the Lord - that is, if I did not have a relationship with my Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus - I would be scared bloody stiff to see another year come. I mean seriously now. If I had to look back at the last 12 months on this planet and all I had to lean on was me, myself and I or maybe how much I had saved in the bank or what I owned or my health or, well, any other ME thing, I would be scared out of my ever loving mind. To blazes with grabbing a bottle of wine and partying on New Year's Eve. May still grab the wine but bigger chance that would just hide under my bed and tremble.

But for me, like many others, that is not the case. I do know my Lord. My trust is in Him and Him alone (although to be honest, my eyes do wander from time to time when the "waves" seem especially high).

A few years back, God led me to Isaiah 8:12~“Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it." Got to admit, pretty much hits the nail on the head, does it not. Especially when you look at it from the believers point of view - that is, looking at it keeping the sovereign will of God in mind. More so when you consider passages such as Matthew 24:6~"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."

Will we see the end of things? No idea. Maybe.

Mixed thoughts on maybe things happening while I live and breathe. One on hand, a great excitement, even yearning. Fear does not even come close to describing the other. I have heard, more than a few, people pray for our Lord to come. Not only in the sense of an anointing presence of the Spirit, but also in the sense of His full on return. I question those people. The day that God finally says "enough" - the predetermined date of wrath - is not going to be a fun, happy event. Luke 23:29~"For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!" I wonder how often that verse gets read without anyone stopping to think that the only reason a childless woman would be considered blessed, would be because she would not have to see her children suffer and die.

You know, all considered - if one were to look around; consider where the world is right now; read the bible - one should rightfully be on the brink of panic. That is, if one did not know the Lord that is. For those of us who do know Him, we must keep our eyes on Him. We have to remember that all of this is akin to "birth pains" and that God is in control. It is that knowledge that keeps us on firm ground while those around us start to sink. But it also should have another effect. Simply put, it should fill us with urgency. An urgency that stems from the knowledge that time is running out and there is so much yet to do - so many left to seek out for our Father.

As we see things happening around us, both in the spiritual and physical, we must step it up, not lie down and wait. The work day is waning away on us.

So if you're saved, keep your eyes locked on Him and kick it into high gear (after all - "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."~ 1 Thess. 5:2) . If you are not on the other hand, perhaps you should reconsider your position slightly in light of how things seem to be going as of late. After all, God never changes, never leaves - everything else on the other hand...