Satisfied, no matter what happens?

 

On our vacation south, it became obvious that the media accounts from there do not match the attitudes of the general population. I was impressed with the open friendliness and gracious actions of all that we met. None of that reflected news of shootings, riots, and lawlessness.

MacArthur makes a different comparison. He writes of a time when he witnessed angry mobs in his city who killed people and set of buildings on fire. During the chaos, people ransacked and looted stores with even moms, dads, and little children loading their vehicles anything they wanted.

He described this as “the most graphic demonstration of lawlessness” he had ever seen and a vivid display of the selfishness in human hearts unrestrained by law and order. He called it the results of a “me first” condition where instant gratification takes priority and said it was as if they were saying, “I’m not satisfied with the way life’s treating me, so I’m entitled to grab everything I can — no matter who gets hurt in the process.”

His contrasted this with a passage in the NT that describes OT believers, summing it up with:

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13–16)

Those people of faith trusted God in whatever circumstances they experienced. He had promised them a wonderful land of their own, but they never possessed it. Instead, they were strangers and refugees even in their own land, yet they looked forward to a better place — that heavenly country that would be theirs for eternity.

I tend not to think about the future when times are tough. Instead, I try to focus on the goodness and wisdom of God and that He has a good plan for whatever I am experiencing. I can think about being with Jesus, both now and forever but other than that, the future is not my here-and-now hope, because life is never certain. I could spend the rest of my life in relative ease, or be a victim of riots and looters, or a painful accident or illness.

Yet in all those possibilities, my faith is learning that I can trust God. He knows the past, the present and the future all at the same time. What He says for my eternal well-being is as true now as it will be when it happens. Because of that, I can trust Him. I’ve not made a list, nor do I focus on earthbound hopes and dreams. I’ve thought how my life may have been different if that were so, yet I am not dissatisfied because of His calling to simply trust in His promises, do as He asks (even though I mess up often). I can set my sights on my heavenly home but choose instead to keep the will of God for this moment, this hour and day, before my face.

PRAY: Jesus, I’m amazed at the grace and blessing of contentment and at the thrill of experiencing You in all of life, accomplishing Your will and often doing it in such a way that it is a lovely surprise. Thank You.

PONDER: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

 

 

Is Jesus coming soon?

Some Christians say we are in the ‘last days’ and Jesus will soon return. Others say that the world has always been full of bad stuff like it is now. Others argue that biblically saying that the ‘last days’ is the period between Jesus’ ascension to heaven and when He returns. Regardless of when it is, there are several descriptions of what will characterize this period in history. Here is one of them:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. (2 Timothy 3:1–9)

This list does not cover everything. Paul also wrote that in later times “some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:1–3) Other ungodly activities are listed elsewhere with most of them like a fortune cookie; they could be about any part of the world and any era of time.

However the above passage suggests to me that since I am going to be part of the good news and show it by the way I live, I need to pay attention to certain things that are opposite to the way people behave during ‘last days’ of doom and gloom.

For instance, I need to love Jesus Christ and others. Self-love is easy; trusting God to meet all my needs and loving others is my biggest battle. This is not a new thing for Christians, nor a new truth about all people. Sin and selfishness are partners, not recent to the world.

A last-day problem with money is not a new problem either. Perhaps the passage means a focus on money will increase. That seems true in North America. Is it worldwide? I’m not sure. For me, my faith must be in the God who meets all my needs, not in money; it does not come close.

The next items on the list are attitudes. The opposites are humility, considering others, kindness, honoring parents, thankful, holy, thoughtful, easy to please, edifying others, and having all Spirit-filled qualities, including self under His control. I’m to be gentle, love good, loyal, careful, selfless, unconcerned about personal pleasure, and focused on loving and glorifying God. There are likely many more adjectives, but this is the kind of person others want to be around, not avoid.

Not only are Christians to have great attitudes, our lives must show it. We are not to be deceptive, trying to trick people with weaknesses or take advantage of those with problems. We are to be totally involved with truth and our faith in Jesus. If we fall away from that, it will be obvious. False teachers can fake it, but those who know the Lord are either “on or off” and cannot act godly when we are operating in the flesh instead of the power of the Holy Spirit.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, no wonder the last days will bring times of difficulty. To live out my faith in a world that opposes all that I believe and stand for will require a great deal of commitment and courage. I’m just so thankful that You are the source of that kind of determination. I can love and follow You because You love me and are with me all the time and in every situation. It may be the last days, but because of Your grace and power, You will have the last word about what goes on in this world and in my life!

Today’s thankful list . . .

Hubby’s courage as doctor removes two more skin cancers.

Strength for each day, along with joy.

Able to purge just a bit more ‘stuff’ and simplify life.

A really good iron.

Fresh fruit.