A word to the wise in 2024
We enter this year (Jan 2024) with two major ongoing wars that threaten to destabilise financial security on two fronts. One is ENERGY costs and supply in Europe and the UK and the other is STABILITY in the middle east on which the west (mainly Europe) depends heavily still for oil supplies and trade routes like the Suez canal and the Straits of Hermutz.
Jesus said we would hear of wars and rumours of wars but the end is not by and by meaning we still have some time. He said Nation will rise up against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there would be famines and earthquakes in various places. These would be the beginnings of birth pains. Matthew 24:7.
The reason I mention these popular words of Jesus is to encourage those of us who are Christians to grasp the opportunities to share the good news with people and how much God loves them because the time is approaching when we will not be able to freely do so. At least not without great cost. Jesus said “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work”. By this I interpret Jesus is warning us that for now we can share the Gospel but a time is coming, a dark time when no one will be able to share the gospel.
Notice above I also said how much God loves people. Not how much God will punish them or rain down judgment on them as some of my friends seem to relish Him doing. God loves people, and His love can reach those in jail and those in power if they will let Him touch their lives.
Now I am not a gloom and doom merchant. Some Christians like trying to match current events to the prophesies in the bible. There is nothing wrong with that except when they convince themselves they are right and refuse to listen to other possibilities. It consumes their life and I have to wonder why do they do that? I would ask them – “Have you prayed about it”? If they say yes I would ask what did God say to them and if “no” then why not?
I remember when barcodes came out to make shopping easier for supermarkets. Some of these end time gurus thought that barcodes would be “the mark of the beast” mentioned in revelation. Then RFID chips were created to track inventory and prevent theft and would you believe these end time gurus thought that “that” was going to be the mark of the beast.
The bible says in 1 John 4:8 that God is Love. This is core to who He is. God is not just loving, He IS love. Out of His Love flows all the other attributes of God that we know about in the bible. His justice comes out of his love. His Righteousness comes out of His love, and His mercy comes out of His love. He will not have any crime go unpunished. Death is no escape but where there is remorse and trust in His forgiveness through Jesus, He takes that punishment on himself through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, so that Justice and righteousness can be fulfilled. We do not have a God who hides human sin or ignores it. Every crime has to be dealt with. His mercy came at a great cost to Himself but its not automatically applied except for babies and young children or the mentally ill who do not understand what they do. For the rest of us sound of mind individuals we need to ask for forgiveness and make our peace with Him and if we are sincere He will honour that remorse with forgiveness and the joy of His presence. Something I cannot adequately describe.
As we enter the new year, that presence is the most comforting and guiding reality we could possibly imagine. Will you start this year with your hand in the hand of the one who stilled the raging waters? The one who created you and loves you more than anyone?