Monday Musings - 2 thoughts

Well - hopefully I will have more than 2 thoughts today . . . but I have been thinking about 2 different subjects a lot - so here goes.

Our Military Heros

Since it is Memorial Day - I want to express my thankfulness for those who have served and those who are currently serving in the military.  I know several military families and the sacrifices they make are HUGE.  Two of my former students are in the military as well as the son of a good friend.  I think about how often my girls are on my mind - how often I think about their safety, their health and their work.  I can only imagine how much that is intensified when you have a child or a husband in the military.  


I have traveled to a lot of places around the world.  Americans complain a lot about their government, taxes and their leaders.  When you see what is going on other places, you can't help but be profoundly grateful for what we have here - the freedoms we enjoy and the stability of our country.  I love many places around the world but I have to admit that putting my feet back on American soil always feels good.  Thank you to all of those that have sacrificially secured that freedom that I enjoy so very much.

Is this the end?

I have been around long enough to have lived through several "end of the world" dates.  I am always amazed at these predictions since scripture so clearly tells us that we will not know when that day is!  I guess that as human beings - it is hard to resist the temptation to control things - even the end of the world as we know it!

I love the book of Revelation and have had the chance to study it several times.  It is a beautiful and mysterious book.  It is tempting to take images and prophecy in that book and find modern days things and events that seem to correspond.  In reality, I think that has been possible since the book was written.  So - as believers - what is the point?  If we can't predict when that "day" is - why do we have the book of Revelation?

I think there are several reasons (let me just preface this with the fact that I am not a Biblical scholar and these are just things I have learned . . .)

There are WARNINGS.

God is not pleased when we don't put feet to our faith.  He desires for us to be a reflection of Him in this world.  We need to live out our life of faith and make a difference every single day we are here.

There is HOPE.

Revelation is full of hope.  There was a lot of persecution going on when this book was written and we see such hope in keeping our eye on the ultimate victory that Christ has already won.  There is persecution going on now all over the world.  I imagine that these words bring that same hope to those experiencing hard times now.  I love knowing the end of this story.  I love that VICTORY is already mine.

There is a MESSAGE.

When others are trying to figure it all out, the message that I hear consistently when I study the end times is "BE READY!!"  We don't know when - we don't know how.  So - it would serve us well to be ready all of the times.  What does that mean?

It means that I need to consistently be in the Word.

It means that I need to consistently live out the gospel in my life.

It means that I need to be sharing Jesus with others.

It means that I need to be growing in my love for my Savior daily.

It means that I need to live each day to the fullest.

I don't know when the end of this world will come - or when the end of my world will come.  We don't know what the next day will bring.  I want to be ready for either. 

Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
   And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God. 

That's enough to keep my busy for a lifetime - however long that lifetime is!  So - please join me in making sure that we are ready every day and on this Memorial Day - let's remember to thank those who have given us the great freedoms that we enjoy as well as the ONE who gives us true freedom.

Happy Memorial Day!!