Is it possible that events leading up to Jesus’ return are as different from what many expect, as His first arrival was different from what the Jews expected?
Could our expectation of escaping pain, cause us to miss seeing God’s sovereign plan and redemptive action today?
What if He is working toward something far grander than our self-centered little minds can comprehend – – something altogether consistent with the first time around which included “The Word of the Cross” (I Cor. 1:18 – 2:16) and “the mystery of Christ” (Col. 1:24 – 2:3)? By the way, and forgive the insult here, even today we don’t believe those foundational truths.
God is just too big for us to figure out, plus we think it’s all about us when its actually all about Him. Chew on THAT!
What if He has a plan to bring countless Jews, Muslims, Hindus, presently-unreached people groups and others into the Kingdom before Jesus’ return? What if He has allowed a demonically created medical plague and the downfall of a formerly God-inspired society, to expose the realities of darkness in a way that draws many to Jesus, the Light? What if more “suffering of the saints” is needed as a testimony to them? Could our “eyes” see that?
The Jews missed Jesus the Messiah because He didn’t conform to their preconceived notions. They knew the scriptures better than most of us and were probably “watching” more actively than us, yet they totally missed Him.
QUESTIONS ASIDE . . .
I say with certainty that the more vested we are in this world and in ourselves, the more likely we are to miss what God is doing, but the more we define life by our relationship with Him and our identification with His eternal purposes, the more likely we will see and hear what He is doing and find our safety in Him.
Things of the earth will grow strangely dim as we revel in Him and in our future with Him. Nothing else will matter, not even the thought of suffering or death.
What if we lived as those who believe His words “Surely I come quickly,” and joined those who respond “Amen. Come Lord Jesus,” (Rev. 22:20 kjv) – – and trusted him for the details?
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
Sept. 11, 2021
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