What is the future going to look like? What is God going to do in the future? Are we going to have flying cars and moving sidewalks? Is the church going to be an afterthought of history like the belief in a flat earth? Will the United States loose it’s economic momentum and it’s status as the world’s super-power?
The future finally arrived on the farm this year. My dad installed a machine on his tractor that uses GPS to steer. He still has to sit on the tractor and make the corners, but now he can read a book or watch movies while seeding. One of our neighbours knits, and I heard a rumour that another one likes to take his pellet gun along to shoot “critters” while driving. (If cutting edge GPS technology enhances your “varmit huntin”- you might be a redneck.)
It has changed the way they farm. They can seed at night with little difficulty, and there is much less mental fatigue throughout the day. It is wonderful.
I dreamed about this technology for years. Strange how I dreamt about it, but never really anticipated it. When the technology arrived, I was surprised. It is almost like I was caught off guard.
What else do we dream about and not anticipate? Marriage? Graduation? Children? Opportunities? The second coming of Christ?
The word we choose to describe the coming event helps forge an attitude. If you are single, how do you describe marriage; “Eventual,” “Doubtful”, “Imminent?” The attitude you adopt will affect your behaviour. If someone pouts all the time because marriage is “doubtful,” they will be less attractive or will miss opportunities that are staring them in the face. Someone who thinks “eventual” will have a better attitude, but might still miss opportunities. Someone who thinks “imminent” will be watching and waiting, primping, and most likely flirting more…and we all know that flirting eventually leads to dancing…Oh NO!!! (yes- I know that some people become extremist in their quest for a spouse. This websight does not condone the notion that “If I don’t have a husband by 21 then I’m an old maid who might as well open a halfway house for stray cats.)
Don’t miss the point here. The question is, how do you think about the second coming?
The Pope was asked what he would say to the world if he knew Christ was returning today. He said “Quick, everybody, look busy!”
Is his coming eventual, doubtful, or imminent? The bible counsels us to be watchful so that we are ready. Whether he comes in our lifetime or not, let us have an attitude of heart that is ready. Live like he is coming today. (But plan like he is coming 100 years from now.)
4 comments:
Let it be known that I was the first one to comment on your blog. Nice Scott, very nice. Second coming, live every day like it were your last.
Couldn't agree more. Embrace the day.
Where did you get that Pope quote from? I have heard the same quote about five times already and it is always credited to a different person depending on the denomination of the writer or speaker.
After reading your blog, visions were conjured up in my mind of a glorious appearing of our Savior in all his glory; a king coming to earth to establish His kingdom in all its fullness.
And then that hit me...
"All its fullness"
Then I had a sudden blowback to New Testament Survey class and learning about the mind-addling theology of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. It was (and still is) an amazing thing to think about the kingdom being "now and not yet". Our savior believed that the Kingdom of God is within us now (Luke 17:20-37). Then he went on to show His disciples what His coming would look like when everything was fulfilled; sudden and amazing like the flood of Noah's day.
So, if our attitudes totally change the way in which we act, then what would happen if we adopted the attitude that the kingdom is not merely "eventual" or even the optimistic "imminent"?
What if we believed that the kingdom of God is NOW? Here, among us even as I sit here and type and you eventually read this. The existence of the church catholic, the wonders of creation, and our very lives, right down to the simple attraction that causes a man to love a woman (and from what I've heard, it's not that simple) are all testaments to the rule and reign of God! Even though these things are far from perfect, God still created them and he is still ruler over all.
Yes, one day he will return to set up His kingdom and I say a big "Maranatha - Let Him come!"
But how would we change if we truly believed in the "now"?
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