The End Is Near

Just because something doesn't happen doesn't mean it won't happen.

Yes, I'm referring to the end of the world, doomsday, Judgment Day, the Rapture or whatever else someone might call the apocalypse.

Yes, it's sad that so many people couldn't discern why Mr. Camping was wrong when for the second time he predicted the end of the world, this time on Saturday, May 21, 2011. It's even sadder that this wasn't the first time people have been fooled. And sadder still that more people will be fooled in the future.

It's also sad that people mocked God in spite of what will eventually happen. It's terrible that because of a small group of people, no matter how sincere, many others ridiculed God and the gospel. It's awful that people who already wanted little or nothing to do with God, judged him by comparison with a tiny sampling of people who say they are Christians.

Whether or not any of Camping's followers are actually believers is irrelevant. The fact that people who are not ready to meet God and will one day be left behind can't distinguish between the truth and fiction is perplexing.

But that's not a new problem.

People in Jesus' day weren't sure about who he was. Not all of his disciples were convinced of his divinity. People in his hometown recognized him only as "the carpenter's son." His cousin, John the Baptist, by proxy asked Jesus, "Are you the one?" At least some of his immediate family wondered if he was delusional. Pilate didn't recognize the truth when face to face with Jesus. And they were not alone.

It's no surprise then, or it shouldn't be, that today people don't recognize Jesus. After all, so many Jesuses have been on display over the course of history and these Jesuses many times bear little if any resemblance to the Son of God whose biography is recorded in the Bible.

But that should actually encourage us.

Jesus said that near the end more and more people would proclaim themselves to be the Messiah. He also noted that lots of folks would tell others, "He's over here!" or "He's over there!" As with the fact that Jesus cautioned that even he didn't know when he would return, these and other bits and pieces of information make it clear that the time has not yet come. But it's close. And people will only know it's too late when it's too late.

The good news is that it's not too late. There's still time. How much? I haven't got a clue. And neither does anyone else. But that means we have time to tell others that they have time. It also means they have time to make the most important decision of their lives. And that means that sometimes bad news is good news.

Someday something will happen. Someday people will suddenly disappear before others can blink their eyes. That means they will see them disappear. Someday (not the same day) God will judge every person. Verdicts will be rendered. There will be no appeals. Someday (before that day of judgment) Armageddon will become a reality and all the horror of all the wars that have ever been fought will pale in comparison. Someday (much later) this Earth will come to an end. When? I don't know. And neither does anyone else.

I do know, however, that for now we have time. I hope more people will use the time remaining wisely. I hope that many will realize that just because something didn't happen doesn't mean it won't happen. And that right now they still have time to prepare for the inevitable.

The end doesn't have to be bad. It could be good. In fact, it might be the best day of your life.

God Is Like Us

Does God need us? Some people might wonder how could a sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient God need us? He doesn’t need us the way we need him. And he doesn’t need us in the ways we might imagine.

God doesn’t need us because he is lonely. He’s not depressed or lonely. In fact he’s not alone. The angels are with him and worship him.

God doesn’t need us to worship him. The rocks will cry out if we’re silent. All creation sings his praises. God is not a needy narcissist who created us because he craves worship.

God doesn’t need us in order to spread the gospel. He can and has used other means, even if those haven’t always seemed effective.

To announce the birth of his son God used spectacular effects. The host of heaven was revealed. The angels sang. The archangel spoke. Steven Spielberg would have been jealous. But the only ones who paid attention were a few shepherds. Some magi showed up, later, long after the night of the big event.

Some people might conclude then that God does need us. However, that would mean that he’s not omnipotent. And we know that’s not true. God is also sovereign. God doesn’t need us to accomplish his will.

He doesn’t need us, but he does want us.

He desires a relationship with us. Each of us. Yes, he’s interested in our group activities. But he’s even more interested in intimacy, in communion, with every individual.

God is not lonely, but he doesn’t want to be alone. He can use miracles to proclaim truth, but he uses us to reach people. He desires our adoration, but he doesn’t need our worship.

He needs us, but he’s not needy. He does, however, purposefully desire us.

I’m not sure why. Like King David, we seem to wonder, who are we, God, that you take note of us?

Perhaps the answer is found in the fact that he created us in his image. Because he did so, we are like him. And he is like us.

God needs us because he wants a family. He wants children. I understand that.

I have a daughter. I need her. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t live without her. It means I choose not to. She is the center of my universe. I’d do anything for her. I can’t stand to be away from her. I don’t like the times she’s away from me.

And in that way, God is like us.

The Prodigal Father

We didn't know him. We had no idea where he was. We never dreamed he was watching and waiting.

For years, ever since we left him, we've thought of him. Sometimes more than others. Maybe at times we didn't think about him much. Caught up in the parties and a lifestyle of our making, perhaps we forgot about him, at least for a season. But he never forgot about us—ever. Not for even one minute.

He didn't because he can't. Because he promised he wouldn't. And he can't lie. He said he'd never do what we did. He promised he'd never fail us. Never forsake us. Never forget us. And he hasn't.

All the years we were gone, he waited and watched. But that's not all he did. He knew where we were. Even when, like Adam, we had no idea that we'd moved so far away from him. He knew what we were doing. Even when, like Abram, we lied to protect ourselves. He knew how we felt. Even when, like the disciples, we cried out, "Don't you care?"

He does. He always has. He always will. Because he's obsessed. He can't help himself. He loves us. Not just when we're good, but especially when we're bad. He loved us in Eden and in Gethsemane and on Calvary. And if he loved us then, he loves us now.

We're like the two sons in the famous Bible story known as The Prodigal Son. Neither of them understood their father's love. The younger son thought he had to earn his father's favor. The older brother thought he already had. The one thought he'd done more than enough. The other thought he needed to do the impossible. Both wanted to become worthy. Neither realized they already were. Both of them failed to grasp, as we do, that love is not about what we do; it's about what the father did.

The word prodigal means extravagantly wasteful. That's why we call the younger man the prodigal. But the word also means lavish.

The father who spared no expense, but instead divided all that he had and gave to them—both of them—demonstrated his lavish love. God demonstrated that same lavish love when we least deserved it. While we were his enemies. While we were in a far away country. While we lived and worked in his house.

Now, God wants us to celebrate with him. He wants us to enjoy the riches of his lavish love. The best robe, his righteousness. The ring, the seal of his authority. And shoes. Because sons, not servants, wore shoes. But most important , he wants us to persuade others to celebrate with him. He wants us to invite them to experience the lavish love of the Prodigal Father.