Matthew 24:14 “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
“We are in the last days”, “The end is near”, “The world is coming to an end”. Do these phrases sound familiar? To be honest with you, I have heard these phrases so many times lately, that it is beginning to frustrate me.
Perhaps, you ask why?
Because we are the people of hope, yet we sound so hopeless when we say these things.
Why is it that every time something ‘bad’ happens, something that is considered ‘evil’, these are the only things some of us christians can say?
Why does every bad thing remind us Christians of Sodom & Gomorra? Yes, it was an evil place, but was every other city perfect? Have these things we are experiencing today ever happened before? Is this the first time? I recall that Bible speaking about evil across the world, and throughout history, yet God still loved the world. Yet, God still sent Jesus to die for the world. After all I recall Jesus saying that the ultimate sign of the end is the preaching of the gospel and nothing else.
Please, don’t get me wrong, there are many horrible things happening in the world, and it saddens me, it breaks my heart, but as a follower of Christ I have been called to share love, joy, peace and hope. I have been called to encourage and share compassion as long as I live. Saying, ‘the end is near’ is not going to help change a life, feed the hungry, show love to the hurting, or bring peace to a hurting world. To me, as a christian, it sounds ironic to say we are the people of hope and yet proclaim we are in the last days because of all the evil around us.
Where is our hope in moments like these?
In whom do we have our confidence?
What needs to occur for christians to wake up and realize we are called for a purpose, we are called to share the Good News and not sound so pathetically despairing?
I respect your opinion, but as for myself, I am tired of hearing us Christians just talk, and sound so negative, defeated, pessimistic, and downhearted, while doing nothing and showing lack of love and compassion when something happens that does not align with our beliefs. I am tired of us Christians showing more concern for the things that seem atrocious to us than actually taking the time to do something meaningful for others and show compassion by sharing Jesus’ love in practical ways.
It seems to me that the devil has allowed these phrases to spread throughout the world so hope in a better life seems unachievable, belief in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives is lost, and the desire to do good for others seems like a waste of time, since the world is never going to get better anyway. It really saddens me to hear us christians repeat these phrases without realizing how hopeless we sound.
I believe in hope and in making the world a better place!
I believe in the power of Jesus’ love which heals, transforms, and brings life!
When Jesus walked this earth, He gave hope, shared kindness, changed lives for the better, encouraged and loved everyone, including outcasts of society. If we consider ourselves to be followers of Christ shouldn’t we do the same? Shouldn’t we show more love and compassion and believe that we can help change this world for the better by replicating what Jesus did?
Every time we hear of adversities in the world wouldn’t it be better to say:
“how can I help?”
“how can I make a difference in this world?”
“how can I show the world that God is still alive, miracles can still happen, and that He is the same, yesterday, and forever no matter what life brings?”
“how can the world see and feel God’s life-changing power through me?”
It is time for us to really live what we believe! Enough seeing the world as an evil place that God can not change, or a place that is not good enough for God to transform. It is time to share the Good News of Jesus! The Good news of His unconditional, inconceivable, life altering love to the world!
The Good News is about hope not about destruction.
The Good News is about Love not hate.
The Good News is about sharing with others how awesome God is and what a difference He has made in our lives and can make in other lives.
The Good News is about Hope that things can and will get better.
Yes, it is about Jesus’ love and great plan for YOU and me!
