A few weeks ago, the citizens of Hawaii thought they were facing the end of the world, or at least a nuclear explosion on their islands. By now you’ve heard the story of the erroneous warning that went out: BALLISTIC MISSLE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Of course, it turned out to be an accidental alert and was rescinded 38 minutes later. But the false alarm had people scurrying for cover and looking to place blame. Actor-commedian Jim Carrey, immediately blamed Trump by tweeting, “If we allow this one-man Gomorrah and his corrupt Republican congress to continue alienating the world we are headed for suffering beyond all imagination.” Gomorrah? This assessment from a man who recently suffered a widely-reported, nervous breakdown and whose girlfriend committed suicide, using prescription pills from a Carrey alias. Hmmm.
No, Hawaii wasn’t facing the end of the world, but the panic that ensured that false alarm gives me pause for thought on how people deal with the prospect of annihilation. The French writer Proust wrote in 1922, long before the era of Little Rocket Man, “I think that life would suddenly seem wonderful to us if we were threatened to die. Just think of how many projects, travels, love affairs, studies, our life hides from us, invisible by our laziness which, certain of a future, delays them incessantly.”
Think of that in spiritual terms. If we really knew that Jesus were coming tomorrow, or next week, or even next year, how different would we live? Would most people really get serious about God, or like Carrey, look for someone else to blame for impending Armageddon? “Take heed, watch and prayer; for you do not know when the time is,” Jesus warned in Mark 13:33. The end of the world will come, and it won’t be announced on cell phones. Not knowing when, what should you be doing today for Him that you put off yesterday? How lazy are you, about using your spiritual gifts, when you think there will always be time to serve in His Kingdom?
An encouraging word: YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Sometimes I feel like David in Psalm 12:1: Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Ever felt like you were alone in your zeal for the Lord? Most Christian have. I have. Like Elijah we may feel we are the only ones faithful. But God reminded the prophet that seven thousand had not yet bowed to the idol Baal (1 Kings 19:18). Be encouraged, the Lord has others who have remained faithful and someday we shall rejoice together around His throne.
Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18). You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.
