Short devotions: In the End Zone - Matthew 24:35

Matthew 24:35            Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

There’s a new television series just started on either the Discovery or History channel called “Doomsday Preppers.” I haven’t watched any episode yet, but the trailers show a whole host of different people across America who are preparing for the end of the world. I guess with this year’s obsessions and superstitions about the Mayan Calendar, a number of folks are going to get anxious over the World’s End. Similar things happened way back in 2000 when we were all told that the Y2K computer glitch would disable machines across the world and our technology would grind to a halt. There were even some folks who sold everything, gave up their jobs, and went to live in cellars, caves, or houseboats in order to survive the coming disaster.

Well Y2K came and went, just as the Mayan calendar will wimp out at the end of this year. People will always believe the worst and anxious folks will always exist.

As a Christian, I take great comfort in Christ’s Words. Even when Earth and heaven come to an end and pass away completely, Jesus tells us that His words will remain. This means that no matter what we or the world goes through, Jesus’ presence and power will still exist. We may not be able to rely upon a Mayan calendar anymore, but we can assuredly depend upon Christ’s Words remaining true for all Time and into Eternity.

So I guess the best kind of Doomsday Preparation that we could all make is getting our lives lined up with Christ and our hearts given over to Him.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and End of all things. We trust in You and place our faith in Your Words. During these anxious times, keep us close to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask any questions or make any comments about this message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest impressionistic drawings. It’s called “A Sea of Brollies” and features a large collection of colorful umbrellas being used in the rain. John also humorously called this “A Scottish Summer’s Day.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6821115917_000290f6b6_b.jpg

Free Bible Devotions: Countdown - James 5:8

James 5:8       You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 

Sometimes I wonder what James might have written if he had known that after almost 2000 years, we’re still waiting for the Lord to return? Would he have changed the urgency of his message? Would he have not mentioned it? Or would he have not bothered to write anything at all?

It’s a dilemma that Christians in the 21^st century of our faith have to wrestle with. It’s a question that makes some church people uneasy, because of the apparent delay. Surely God would have allowed Christ to return before now, so what’s keeping Him from ending Time? Is there still something that needs to be done? Are there still people and places on this planet that need to be saved?

Maybe we’re thinking in temporal terms instead of eternal ones. Years, centuries, and millennia may have passed since Christ was born into the world, but that’s not even the blink of an eye in eternal terms. Millions and billions of years may pass before Christ returns; humanity may colonize the Solar System and travel to other galaxies before Jesus makes His long heralded appearance, but in the eternal scheme of things that would not even be a blip on the cosmic screen. After all, if Eternity is eternal, then millions of billions of zillions of years could pass by and there would still be an infinite amount of years to be with God. I think this is summed up best in the old hymn ‘Amazing Grace:’

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we’d first begun.

So, is the Lord’s Return near? Well, it’s certainly two thousand years nearer than when James wrote his letter. It will also take place for each one of us the second after we die, so I guess it’s only a lifetime away for all of us. In that sense then, James’ words are highly relevant to every individual on this planet who lives today. Within 120 years, we will all be dead, so for this current generation of people, including the babies who have just been born as we are actually reading this, the countdown to Christ’s Return has already begun.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, whether Your Return to Earth is five seconds away or five million years from now, the truth of the matter is this: we need to be ready. We will either fall at Your feet on Earth in our lifetime, or we will come face-to-face with You the split-second after we die. Help us to be patient and to carefully prepare our hearts and minds, bodies and souls for that sacred moment in Time or in Eternity. In Your Holy Name, we expectantly wait and patiently pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s digital glass pictures of Christ’s Ascension into Heaven. It’s a simple drawing, essentially depicted to help children imagine the process. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click the following link:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3551992426_68ddc730b0_b.jpg