09.21.07
“KNOWING THE TIMES!”
I Thessalonians 5:1-4
“Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.”
A few mornings ago at 5:45 a.m. I stirred from slumber and rose to start writing on the Daily-E-Votional. It seemed unusually dark compared to what I had been used to. After about thirty minutes I looked at the time on my desk top screen and realized that I had risen at 4:45 a.m., not 5:45 a.m.
It dawned on me (no pun intended) that autumnal equinox will occur this Sunday morning. This is when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, from north to south. This marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. This is interesting since many of our readers are in the Southern Hemisphere and eagerly await the warmth and beauty of spring.
We know that the seasons change on a regular basis somewhere near, March 21st, June 21st, September 21st and December 21st. Each date marks a change in the seasons; spring, summer, fall and winter. That is what Paul was indicating in this letter to the church at Thessalonica. We know the seasons of the year, and we also know the spiritual sign of the end of the age, so what are we doing about it?
The sinfulness on mankind is great and seems to get worse with each passing day. Sins that are abhorrent to God are commonly accepted in our modern world. The values of righteousness and godliness are more and more ridiculed as being out of date and made to seem unacceptable to many people.
All we have to do is read Genesis 18 and 19 to observe the anger of God toward the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The sins themselves cried out to God for judgment. The cities were totally destroyed as a result of their sin. How can we think that God will react in a different manner toward the prevalent sins of this age?
All around us we see the signs which the prophets of old have foretold would announce the time of the end. We need to be more committed to doing the Lord’s work than ever before. None of us know when the season will change and the time of the Tribulation will be upon us. Let’s be busy at the task of making disciples of those around us.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
- - - Pastor Cecil