What are you waiting for?
For centuries, alarmists have been warning us of Jesus Christ’s triumphant return. Jesus told His disciples to be ready, for He will return when we do not expect Him (Matt. 24:36-44). Still, here we are. Why?
Every generation has had its false prophets and ardent preachers who warned of the end days. Each generation seems to have become more decadent than the previous one. This generation is no different. Why?
Have we decided that it just isn’t going to happen in our lifetime, so we may as well just enjoy ourselves? Wow.
First, we cannot use our sense of time to attempt to gauge God’s timeframe. God exists outside of time and space. He created both. In both Psalms 90 and 2 Peter, Chapter 3, the psalmist and Peter remind us that a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day in the sight of the Lord.
Actually, we should feel a greater sense of urgency with the passage of time. It’s kind of like when you are driving on New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway. You know all the places where the state troopers hide, so you take it easy on the gas pedal as you approach those areas. The longer you go without seeing a trooper, the better your chances are that you WILL see one at the next spot! It’s the same way with Jesus’ Second Coming. The longer we wait, the greater our preparedness should be, for He could be coming back at any moment!
What is holding you back?
Secondly, we need to cut the cord from materialism. It won’t be easy. We like stuff. I once had over two hundred pairs of shoes! I have since given most of them away. I still have a lot of shoes! I can only wear one pair at a time! Right? The devil must be ecstatic! We allow material things to take God’s Place in our hearts and our lives. In the truest sense, we are idol-worshippers. Too many things in our lives distract us-- blind us-- and separate us—from God’s presence and His grace.
What is holding you back? Is it clothes? Shoes? Is it lust? Are you addicted to the voyeurism of reality television? Are sports stars or teams your idols? Where do you spend your time and money? All of these things will fade, turn to dust or rust. Where your treasure lies, so will your heart (Matthew 6:21).
One year at Vacation Bible School, I noticed that on the first day, there were arrows on the floor to direct the kids to each activity. By the second day, the arrows were all over the place, and several kids who were looking at the arrows on the floor--instead of their leader-- lost their way. I realized that the arrows were not taped to the floor. They were not grounded.
Isn’t this what happens to us? For many of us, we know where we are supposed to go and to whom we should be looking for guidance, but sometimes the signs (and the people) directing us have been kicked around so much that we cannot figure out which way to go. Many times, we end up going toward the shiny thing or taking the easiest route.
When we are not grounded in the Truth, we lose our way and let the world distract us from our purpose in life— To Glorify God with our lives.
We need to be grounded in something that does not change. Truth does not change. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He is our Rock and our Salvation. He is the Rock to whom we need to ground ourselves.
Listen to Nichole Nordeman’s Legacy