It's Getting Late...

"What time is it?"

My seven-year-old loves to ask that question. Often, he would ask with such a sense of urgency, it was as if he had an appointment or something to get ready for. In what quickly became a familiar scenario, he would ask for the time, his father or I would tell him what time it was and, a short while later, he would ask again! After a number of times of going back and forth about the time, we finally decided it was time....

He now has his own clock.

When I consider the time in which we live, we are living in a record-breaking, history-making time --massive earthquakes, unprecedented snowfalls, historic flooding, unparalleled violence in our communities and schools, rampant teen pregnancies, deadly sexually transmitted diseases, gender identity crises, political and celebrity scandals, economic downfall, historic elections....

And yet, we still ask, "What time is it?"

It's time for us to realize that God has been answering that question for decades. We have our own clock--the Bible. In it, God has already told us that, while no man knows the day or the hour that Jesus Christ will return, we know that He will return for the final judgement, and we should heed the signs and prepare for His coming.

What time is it?

Let's ask Jeremiah what time it is....

"I listen to their conversations, and what do I hear? Is anyone sorry for sin? Does anyone say, 'What a terrible thing I have done'? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse rushing into battle! The stork knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know what the LORD requires of them." (Jeremiah 8:6-7, New Living Translation--NLT)

Let's ask Timothy what time it is...

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" (2 Timothy 3: 1-5, NLT)

Let's ask Mark what time it is...

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it (Christ's return) is near--at the doors!" (Mark 13:28, New King James)

Keep in mind that, regardless of whether Christ comes back in our lifetime or not, if He doesn't come to us, one day we will all leave this life and (if we have accepted Him) go to be with Him. So, either way, we need to be prepared. We all have an appointed time to give account of how we used the lives God so generously and sacrificially gave us.

I don't know exactly how much time any of us really have, but I do know this, when I read the signs of the times, I can tell it's getting late....

BNcouraged and "B" ready!

Rev. Karen