One Day ... BOOM

Monday, November 13, 2017

Zephaniah 1:14-16: The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.

One day, you're walking down the sidewalk, getting a little exercise. It's a sunny day until... the sky goes dark. You stop and watch everything unfold in front of you, above you, and all around you. Then the alarm sounds. It's the tornado warning signal. People are coming out of their houses and looking all around. You see the panic and fear on their faces. "What is going on?" you hear many ask. You're thinking the same thing. Is this it? Is this the day of the Lord? Do I need to start looking for Jesus coming from heaven in the sky?

We all wonder what the day when Jesus returns will look like. We all have thought about it, especially in today's tense atmosphere. Will we see nuclear missiles come from the sky? Will we experience more earthquakes, storms, and the like? We will see more of the moral decay of the world, like it was before the flood? Will we hear the trumpet call of God any day? It could happen any day.

Jesus promised that He will return one day. Jesus promised that when He does return, the world will end, the new heavens and earth will come, and all that we know will come to an end. The day will come at the Father's choosing. Because one day ... BOOM. It will come upon us just like a thief does in the night. And God gives to us signs and signals so that we will be aware and be ready for it, like today's passage.

So how are we ready? Believe in Jesus and His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Prepare through faith your life to know that when all hell breaks loose here on earth, our lives will be heaven bound. Our task as Christians is to be out in the streets, in the world while the world is in turmoil. We have the opportunity and responsibility to be the people "Where the love of Christ lives," being equipped with faith, being encouraged by hope, and engaged with the love of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, walk the streets, get your exercise, and talk to the people around you about Jesus. Thank You Father, for faith in Jesus in order to serve You, Amen.