Thursday, January 19, 2012

What Are You Doing Now?

The Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom…five were wise…five were foolish. The wise took oil in their vessels. The foolish virgins’ lamps went out. Matthew 25:1-8 (NKJV)

Recently men have been predicted the end of the world, and each prophesized date has come and passed.

It’s a joke to unbelievers. Some communicate with each other on personal web sites asking, “Are you left behind too? Let’s meet at Pete’s and party.”

My Christian sisters and I were discussing this situation. Someone presented the question,“If the end were to comes today, what do you want to be caught doing?” My friend, Emmy said, “I’d like to say, ‘what I’m doing right now.’”

People can count all the last days predicted in the Book of Daniel, or check off all the catastrophes listed in Revelation. But Jesus tells us “You do not know the day or hour in which the Son of Man is coming”. (Matt 25:13) Collecting all the negative events of the end times is like worshiping a false god. Exalting them above Jesus is misplaced worship.

What would Jesus like to find us doing: Feeding the hungry; giving water to the thirsty; visiting the sick and the prisoners; or clothing the naked? “What you did for the least of these, you did for me.” (Matt. 25:34-40).

No one knows the day. Let’s take Emmy’s advice and pray that “what I’m doing right now,” would always be a good thing. “Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matt. 25.21)

Dear Lord. Thank you for today. How can I serve you, while I wait for You.

©2011 Lois Gosley

2 comments:

Christy said...

Lois, Terrific answer to those seemingly constant, consistently wrong predictions. And - what we should do about it as Christians.

Evelyn R. said...

Way to go, Lois. You said a mouthful. Great writing.