To be in that number...

When I was a boy, there was a time when any Christian I knew was heightened in their awareness of the second coming of Christ. It was about the time of the publishing of the book The Late Great Planet Earth, by Hal Lindsey. The movie I Wish We'd All Been Ready was shown in one of our sister churches with depictions of what the rapture would look like. In our churches, there were Bible studies on Revelation, predictions, watching for world events - all viewed through the lense of the imminent return of Christ. It was very exciting, but also a bit unnerving to think of the second coming of Jesus.

I came to realize later in life that fear is not the emotion with which a Christian should look for the very real return of Christ. There should be other emotions and sensibilities - like anticipation. Can you imagine what it will be like to see the events predicted in the Bible come about? Or how about urgency? Are we really concerned about the fate of loved ones or friends who will not be counted in the number of those redeemed and restored during the final judgment?

I trust that each one of us examines ourselves regularly, not just at the time of the Lord's Supper, to see if our motives are in line with the Word of God, or that we are too comfortable in our own salvation. That examination should also give us pause to pray for those not counted in the number of the bride of Christ, coupled with a very real longing for Christ to use us to communicate the Gospel to them.

The end could come at any time. Is there someone you need to tell the Good News of Christ? Do it. Today.

Charles Fortney
elder