Urgency

- Vengeful wrath sweeps the world as over a million Muslims take to streets because of Danish newspaper’s misrepresentation of Muhammad. see here
- Russia shouts claims of new Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles that can hit any target in the world and cannot be stopped by any defense system [Russia’s closest Middle Eastern ally is Iran]. see here
- Iranian President continues to claim Nazi Holocaust is nothing more than a “hoax” and forces oust of International Atomic Energy Agency workers to continue on in nuclear research. see here
- Israel boldly states that they will not allow Iran [their greatest enemy] to gain nuclear capability and are willing to stop them at all costs. see here
- Threat of the possible Avian Flu Pandemic continues to spread as Africa and Western Europe slaughter infected birds within their borders. see here
- United States’ enconomy in danger of the collapse of the “housing bubble.” Fallout over a crash in United States’ real estate market could have terrible effects on the economy as a whole. see here
- International banks shift reserve from the US dollar to the EU’s euro… undermining the dollar and opening doors to future dilemmas. see here

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” The Christ in the Gospel According to Matthew 24:32,33

“There is a fourth form of meditation that is in some ways quite opposite of others. It is to meditate upon the events of our time and to seek to perceive their significance. We have a spiritual obligation to penetrate the inner meaning of events, not to gain power but to gain prophetic perspective…

This form of meditation is best accomplished with a Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other! You must not, however, be controlled by political clichés and propaganda fed us today. Actually, newspapers are generally far too shallow and slanted to be of much help. We would do well to hold the events of our time before God and ask for prophetic insight to discern where these things lead. Further, we should ask for guidance for anything we personally should be doing to be salt and light in our decaying and dark world.” Richard Foster in the Celebration of Discipline (my italics added)

I am not a prophet, but I wholeheartedly believe the early Church thought Christ would return in their lifetime. A simple reading through Acts and the Epistles will tell you that. Peter reminds fellow believers that maybe Christ won't be back quite yet, for "with the Lord one day is a thousand years and a thousand years as one day," as he comforts them in his final letter. Paul reminds the Thessalonians not to get ahead of themselves in both his letters.

But what we must recognize is that it was healthy for them to believe in Christ’s soon return: it caused them to live life with a dramatic sense of missional urgency.

Christians commonly claim that Jesus could come at any time, yet few really sit and ponder the meaning of that statement.

A growing number believe His glorious return truly is around the corner. This may or may not be true. Either way I will believe in it. I will love the Lost knowing that time is short. I will share truth believing that greater persecution is on its way. I will praise my God knowing I may see Him enter through the clouds in a short while. And I will awake each morning knowing the battle is at hand.

I desire the first century's missional urgency.

We don’t have forever to love our neighbors. This war is already raging. There are no coincidences. These headlines may point to something. The Ecumenical Movement is at large. Previously unknown people groups are being saved.

Aslan is on the move.
To You, oh Lord, we rally!