Much of my life has been spent near the water, or in places where the weather changes fairly quickly. The old saying of "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes, it will change" seems to be a criteria for where I chose to live. Enjoying boating and fishing on the water means keeping an eye of the weather before heading out, and constantly while on the water. It must be an ingrained habit is you are to enjoy a long and happy life on the water.
Do you know people who are not 'living their lives" because they are constantly focused on the end times? The are worried, or in some cases obsessed with looking for the signs of the end of the age. They are looking for a collection of events, signals or signs that tell of the return of the Savior Jesus Christ. We know from scriptures this is to take place. But some believers are focused or obsessed on this to the point they miss the whole point of living and sharing love of Christ. They are worried they may not have earned salvation. Apparently they missed the message of Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. They heavy lifting has been done for us. And if we grasp onto that basic premise of Christian theology we are then left with the simple task of living our lives without constantly looking over our shoulder wondering when the end will arrive.
The interesting discussion between Jesus and a teacher of the law captured for us in Mark 12:28-31 gives us a path forward for our lives while we await the return of Christ. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Love God, love your neighbors. Two simple rules to live our lives by. Nothing in there about worrying about salvation or constantly looking over your shoulder for the second coming of Christ. We love God, we trust God. He has a plan and His will be done. Keeping an eye out for the weather is a prudent thing. Live your life as God would have you with joy and praise.
PRAYER: Lord only You know the time and place of the end. We rest comfortably knowing that Your will is supreme and Your plan for us is infallible. Help us to stay on course in our lives. Let You love flow out of us to those we encounter in our travels through this life. And when storms enter our lives, let our faith be strong and help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. This we ask in the one whose name is above all names, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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