THERE IS NO ROSY FUTURE
Man works toward and aims for a rosy future. Working hard now and saving money for retirement is a common theme among people, because retirement is considered the epitome of a rosy future, where without the burden of work, man hopes to spend his time on a beach, sipping on a drink and enjoying the bounties of nature. What is missed though is the fact that retirement comes with its share of problems, including boredom, meaninglessness and sickness. Right now, in the midst of being quarantined due to the pandemic and with the world being cast into disarray, man is desperately hoping to quickly get back to normalcy. However, this pandemic could very well have a second wave following this one or could be followed by the next crisis. There is no rosy future.
The Bible warns of the end times and how situations like the current pandemic will only get more frequent.
There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven——–On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. (Luke 21:11,25)
The call to a pilgrim in the midst of these situations is threefold-
1. Stand firm-
Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life (Luke 21:17-19)
The need to fix one’s eyes on Christ and the eternal life to come is paramount. A disciple’s life will never be easy. On one hand he participates in the suffering of his fellow men as the world bears the punishment for its sins. On the other hand, he is also a target for the majority who do not belong to God. In the midst of opposition and persecution, he needs to stand firm in his faith and not stop moving toward his eternal goal.
2. Be careful-
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. (Luke 21:34)
The modern day world in our times has seen advancement in comfort and opportunity like no other time before it. With it comes however, inputs that keep man sedated in pleasure or the abundance of anxieties. Both take man away from a vibrant relationship with God. The need to be careful is timely and immense.
3. Be watchful-
“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 21:36)
Being watchful in prayer enables the disciple to not only escape but also thrive in the midst of adversity. Prayer brings the disciple into the spiritual realm of power and protection, giving him the wisdom to navigate through the mines laid out by the enemy and bring him home to eternal life on that fateful day when he stands before Jesus at his death or at the second coming.
The pandemic will cease, but there certainly won’t be any rosy future as we live in these end times, lest we fix our eyes on the eternal life to which God has called us.
