Time to hand out the cigars?

There (used to be, anyways) is an old tradition of handing out cigars - usually by the new father of a child - to people after the birth of a baby.

In the last 30 days (days – not weeks or years), there have been 323 earthquakes, of a magnitude of 4.5 or greater, on this planet of ours.  Quakes have become so, dare I say, commonplace in the last few years that they barely warrant mention on the evening news or in the daily papers.  The weather has gone completely insane as well.  Droughts and floods are everywhere, even in places which have rarely, if ever, experienced such events.  And recently, the number and intensity of tornadoes here in North America have become fairly common news items with countless people affected by their power.

Let us step away from the natural world for a brief moment and focus on humanity itself.  Speaking as one who is from North America (Canada, specifically), the culture has shifted somewhat noticeably.  For no small portion of the populace, there is no longer a right or wrong, at least in the way in which it is taught scripturally.  The idea that there is any form of absolute truth has been replaced with this “gray mentality” – no black or white, as it were.  The only thing, actually, that is seen as wrong in this culture of gray tolerance is the belief in an absolute truth which, needless to say, puts a pretty solid target on the head of the Church who believe that God is the source of all truth and is, therefore, absolute.

Between cultural shifts and natural events on a global scale, there has been no small number of Christians who have started to quote from Matthew 24:8 “All these are the beginning of birth pains”.  Birth pains.

Allow me to put this in context for you by including some of the preceding verses:  "For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ 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." ~ Matthew 24:5-8 (NIV).  Jesus is speaking about the events which precede His return and the end of this age, in case you were not aware.

Here is a tidbit of information that you may not have been aware of, or perhaps, have just not stopped to consider.  In the words of CS Lewis, “you have never met a mere mortal”.  Think about that for a moment.  That part of each one of us who believes, that will eventually enjoy and afterlife with our Lord exists for ALL PEOPLE.  Everyone will eventually shed the physical form and live eternally ever after.  Where that eternity is spent on the other hand, is a different story.

You may be thinking, “hold on now, didn’t Jesus promise US eternal life”?  Yes, yes He did but He also told us what that meant in John 17:3:  “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”  Every human being on the planet, every single person, is an eternal being wrapped up in a perishable shell.  The life which we who believe have been given is a complete one.  That portion which is missing from us is filled in as we are connected to the One whom created us in the first place.  No longer must we try to find something – anything – to fill that hollow spot within.  It is filled with what, or should I say for Whom, it was designed and destined for.

Got all that?  Good.  So why, you may wonder, am I mentioning that.  Glad you asked.

If, indeed, what we see in the world around us both culturally and within the natural realm, are what Jesus referred to as “birth pains”, then we have a serious issue on our hands.  We, that are “the Church”, have a whole lot to do and not very long to do it.  The onus is upon us.  We know Truth.  We were called Him to do that which He required and desired us to do.  All we have and are, we have been given and we know it.  Do you recall the parable of the talents from Matthew 25?  How each was given a different amount to use?  Do you recall the ending?  The one who hid away that which he was given rather than risk anything at all had what he was given stripped from him in the end.  If we are seeing birth pains, then our Master will soon return.  I do not know about you, but I would so much rather not be like the final servant in the story.

So are we seeing the signs of the impending end?  I cannot say yes or no with any certainty.  Only God Himself knows that final hour.  No man, nor even angel, knows that time (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32), only the Father knows.  All I know is from Matthew 24:32-33, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.”

I will end with two points of note.  The first, for those who seem to delight in calling for the end to come, a verse from the prophet Amos:  “Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord!  Why do you long for the day of the Lord?  That day will be darkness, not light.” ~ Amos 5:18

The second is for those who may say “yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that all before”.  2 Peter 3:4–10:  "They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ... But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief."

Make no mistake, whether sooner or later, He is coming and all that you see and know will cease to exist.

*Add-on*
1.  None of the above is me saying I know something about the whens of the end.  If you hear someone, regardless of who it is, saying the end will come whenever (like, 3:15PM, July 17th), they do not know either.  As I said above, only the Father Himself knows.

2.  If you are a believer and follower of Jesus', and if you think that you too may see signs unfolding, this is not the time to turn inward and start thinking of yourself and all your own stuff, wants and needs.  It is time to "get your butt in gear", as it were.  Forget about yourself.  Whatever God has laid upon your heart, do it.  After all, don't we all want to hear the words "well done, my good and faithful servant" ~ Matthew 25:23