As the world continues it's downward spiral and becomes increasingly evil, I've noticed that the response of many people, Christians included, is fear and worry. Though End Times prophecies and Rapture predictions have been around since the days of the Early Church, they seem to be very numerous these days, and perhaps rightfully so. After all, we are closer to the End of Time now than we were yesterday!
But I'm not here to tell you my timeline for the end of the world as we know it. I am here to tell you something I've learned about how we as Christians should conduct ourselves in times of fear and uncertainty.
The rapture of the Bride of Christ is coming but it's not up to us when it comes, only that we're ready when it does come.
Live like the Rapture could happen tomorrow.
You won't die and have time for a deathbed speech or have a funeral where people remember all the nice, good things you've done. You'll just be here one minute, going about your life and the next second... you'll be in the Presence of God. No time to make up with someone you've held a grudge against for years; no will to donate your money to a worthy cause; no time to do what you always meant to do. Just you and God and your life as it is. Is your life rapture-ready?
Living rapture-ready also takes away any fear you might have over what will happen to you or your family during the End Times. Reading Revelation, Daniel, parts of Ezekiel, and other places in Bible about the end of time- there's some pretty intense stuff there. But read it carefully. Who orchestrates it all? Who plans it all? Who decides when/who/how/why/how long?
God.
Yes, God.
This is not something too big for Him to handle. This is not something He's worried about it going the way He wants it to. He isn't waiting in trepidation for the day of the antichrist.
He already has it all planned out.
From the first to the last, He has planned out the events of history just the way He wanted them.
Whether the Rapture happens in our lifetime or not, God calls us to be vigilant against evil and to prepare for the Day of the Lord.
We in the 21st century stand on the shoulders of thousands of years worth of Godly men and women who impacted their cultures and give us guidance along our journeys of faith. There could yet be thousands of years more. What are you doing to build up the next generation? Whose shoulders will they stand on? Perhaps in their lifetime the end will come and they will be faced with things you can't imagine. How are you helping them prepare for their role?
Zecheriah says, "Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days." Don't let fear of the future rob you of the strength that God gives. "Who by worrying can add one cubit to his life?" asks Jesus. No matter if you live during the tumult of the End of Time or in relative peace and security, you are still priceless in the sight of God. In fact, the only thing that was costly enough to purchase you, was the blood of His very own Son.
So let your hands be strong in these days. The patriarchs and the prophets died in faith, not having received the promise- the Messiah. Yet they foresaw His coming and believed. We have the promise- the Messiah. He has come and we have obtained through His blood eternal life. The part of the promise yet to be fulfilled is that which will take place at the end of all time. So we too, seeing that day approach, rejoice with joy inexpressible.
"Now unto Him Who is able..."