What Do You Think?

I had been glazing over (think “deer in headlights” look) through some headlines recently (that’s about the only news I pay attention to… headlines.) At some point, I mentally shook my head and thought, “I’m not sure what to think about this!”

Inflation – something’s going to give!
Watch out! Another housing bubble? Fuel at $10?
Politics – tone it down, please!
Cancel Culture – shut up!
Language – it’s difficult even to talk; words are dangerously close to being censored!
The pandemic is now endemic – so let’s pile on some Bird Flu and Monkey Pox.
Shame on Russia. Stand strong, Ukraine!
Wait. Taiwan? China?

There’s more! I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around it. Life is overwhelmingly crazy and crooked. It’s getting difficult to make sense of anything! I’m inundated with advertisements teaching how to live off the Power Grid when an EMP changes life as we know it. Zombie Apocalypse and Red Dawn rolled into one. Maybe it’s time to start planning.

Wait! Is this what my retiring years are supposed to be? Give me a break!

Could It Be?

Could these days be nothing but the start of the ending cycle of life as we know it? It’s possible. Actually, every day is a probable end to life as we know it because we are in complex times.

What can we do?

The simplest idea is to prepare for whatever the future has in store. You may ask me to define that, and my answer can only come from my background and worldview. It will not match yours, although we may have similar views. We are each unique and face life with lenses of varying strengths and shades. It’s difficult to find common ground.

I was once asked about putting all the Christians into a few states and creating an autonomous zone for them to live separate from all others. Whoa! Is this really a solution? Why don’t we put all Democrats on the Left Coast and Republicans on the Right Coast, and if you don’t know what you are, you have to live in the middle? Immediately I asked myself for clarity. If I’m looking North or South, which way is Right? Which Way is Left? Maybe we could isolate everyone by language? Skills? Hair color? Tattoos?

If we keep lopping off the edges, it will someday be you and me only, and I’m not so sure about you!

Life Challenges Has Been Around Forever

Our challenge is to identify our beliefs and then prepare for the inevitable outcome as our system unfolds. Since I’m a Christian (follower of Jesus Christ), then I should outline my approach to the future that follows Christian Thinking. Jesus said it like this:

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars;
and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity,
the sea and the waves roaring;
men’s hearts failing them from fear
and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now when these things begin to happen,
look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
Luke 21:25-28 NKJV

Jesus spent time teaching about the ending. The disciples were looking for an answer that included reestablishing their nation back into an authority position during their lifetime. But Jesus was teaching of a future that they would never live to see. 2,000 years later, we’re still looking for this time Jesus describes. With our worldwide access, it feels like we are closer than at any other time in history.

Here’s the kicker. We may never live long enough to see the complete ending of life as we know it, so we should at least be prepared as if it could happen any day! I refuse to let the present-day world challenge how I feel in my spiritual walk with God. I’ve been looking up and lifting up my head for most of my life. What’re a few more years!??!