It's Not the End of the World as We Know it . . .

There's a good chance that you've heard the predictions about may 21st and judgement day.  Now come and gone with no fulfillment, there is a lot of talk about the claims of a man named Harold. But is is also incredibly en vogue to talk about the need to be ready.  Even my own initial thoughts centered around the fact that we all need to be ready for the end at any moment, whether it comes through the second coming or some sort of personal tragedy.  Jesus could come back, or we could get hit by a car while crossing the road.  Either way, live for Jesus like it's your last moments.  It's what everyone is saying, and it's true.  But let's take it a step further.

No matter if our life ends through eschatological means or life circumstances, we must die.  We all must die to ourselves.  Every day we have to not only live like it's our last, but live like we've already died and Jesus lives through us.

It's not the end of the world as we know it . . . it's the end of me as I know it.  And it needs to be the end of us as we are known.  "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

Worship as Remembrance

I need to be constantly reminded that I am forgetful.  And therefore, it is important to build constant reminders into my life.  Things that I pass by every day, technology that repeats reminders and beeps at me, and habits and patterns that remind me to be faithful.  God certainly understands this about us.  He asked people to set up altars and monuments to commemorate what He had done.  He instituted yearly festivals like passover to remind His people of His goodness and provision.  And Jesus set us on a pattern of remembrance with the Last Supper.

As I was reading through Deuteronomy 8 recently I was again reminded of our forgetfulness.  All 20 verses serve as a warning and reminder to the people.  You should read it, but for the sake of conversation, let me summarize.  God tells his people to be careful to obey his commands.  He reminds them who He is and what he has done for his people.  And He warns them that when they inherit the land and become rich, eating whatever they want and living in houses that are nice, they will have a tendency to forget who gets the credit, who gave it to them in the first place.  And if they forget?  Destruction will come.

When you read the entire chapter, I wonder if you will see the same parallel that I see.  To me, it sounds like America.  It sounds like us.  It sounds like me.  We live a pretty good life, and that good life numbs us to God.  We forget that He gives us the ability to be productive.  We tend to look at our own hands for the provision placed before us.  And we are in danger.  We are in danger of destruction through our own forgetfulness and pride.  And people who call themselves Christians are not immune.

So set up patterns of remembrance.  Make worship and spiritual disciplines a priority.  Don't schedule things on Sunday Mornings.  Read God's Word every day.  It's as easy and this:  Remember God by obeying Him.  It's also how we show our love for Him.

Now if I could just remember where I put my keys.

Humbly,

Dave