The Great Restoration
“The end of all things is near.” So my friend wrote in his facebook status a day after the Myanmar Earthquake. Which happened 2 weeks after the giant tsunami in Japan.
Jesus says in Matthew 24 will be exactly like this. These few decades have been unprecedented in terms of the rate of giant natural disasters; earthquakes, tsunamis, pestilences.
But before I continue, I’d like to say this: God didn’t cause this. We did. With our non-ecological ways, we have upset the balance of nature to bring all these to come to pass. Just because God foresaw it doesn’t mean that He made it happen.
“But why didn’t God stop it?” It’s like asking God why He didn’t stop you from being selfish when you didn’t want to share your things with another person. OR It’s like asking God why didn’t He stop the water tap from flowing when you just let it flow when you were brushing your teeth. It’s called Free Will. And apparently God thinks its more sacred than anything else, for while from Free Will man can sin, but it is also only from Free Will that he can love.
When He made the Earth, it was meant to be in a delicate balance, living under rules and principles of science created by Him. When we screw it up ourselves, we don’t start blaming God for it. That’s not exactly being fair.
Anyway, back to the topic.
It is not the end. It will be as the days of Noah, it is written. This is God coming back to press the reset button. “So that whatever that can be shaken, will be shaken.”
It is the beginning of the restoration of all things. “Behold, I am making all things new” says the Lord.
But when I heard and am reminded of the coming of Jesus to be imminent, it was a mix of joy and terror. If you had told me a few years earlier, it might just have been pure terror.
“When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on earth?”. Will he return to find a people eagerly waiting for His return? I think for so long, we’ve lived lives that believe that this is the only life that we will have, and we have best make the full use of it. Get the full enjoyment and pleasure out of it.
When there are wars, unrest, natural disasters all over the world, in our hearts, instead of that joy that our Master is returning, we find despair. It reveals so much about our hearts. It is a heart of agnosticism. It is a heart that says,” God, if you’re coming, it’s good. If not, it’s fine too. I will try to make the best out of my life, and try to make a Heaven on earth here.”
So when He comes, we kind of feel like He’s here to mess up our plans. Hence we receive His words in terror. “He is coming to spoil the day. We were just having fun with life.”
The image of a summer songbird resting on a barren tree against a azure clear blue sky haunts me. It reminds me that the Eternal Morning is coming.
A friend once showed me this worship song: Before the Morning.
That morning is coming very soon.
As we hear the news of wars, earthquakes, pestilences as spoken in Matthew 24 (Jesus said that 2000 years ago! Can you imagine how amazing that is?!?!?), what is our response? Do we find ourselves disappointed that life looks like its not going to work for out for us? OR do we find a place in our hearts that is joyful despite the darkness, because He is coming?
“Surely, I am coming quickly.” We who believe in His Holy Spirit, His active work in our lives; let’s also take His word seriously. He shall come like a thief, at an hour none will expect, and let’s makes sure we have enough oil for the night (Matthew 25);)
He is coming.
We will reign with Him for a 1,000 years. Yeah, we’re gonna be around in Earth for at least another 1,000. But this time with Jesus! =)
At the end of that ,immortality awaits us. Let us live for that eternity. =) It will be beautiful.
