THE CLOCK IS TICKING
The earth is turning, the wind is blowing, the sea is churning, and the sun is shining. This world is alive with activity. Trees and grass, flowers and plants, wheat fields, corn fields, soy beans. Squirrels and rabbits, sparrows and hawks, raise their young and scamper about us. Life flows through the blood in our veins, as we breathe in and out and cover the land with cities, buildings and houses.
The rain and the storms come and go. Lightning flashes and thunder roars. We harness the earth’s energy to light the darkness and to power our machines. But where does energy come from? Some say it is all just an accident. Is that what you think?
The Bible tells us that the One who set everything into motion is, at this very moment, sustaining and empowering all things (Hebrews 1, Colossians 1). And even more than that, the One who wrote the Bible tells us that not only did He put all things in place, just as they are, but that He will one day also put an end to everything we now see, and begin a new world – a new existence. Isaiah 24 tells us that God will destroy the earth because people have made it unclean and thrown out His laws. Isn’t that exactly what is happening today, in America and in many other places?
Psalms 2 says that on that day, God will install His Son as King over this new world. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, first came to this earth about two thousand years ago and offered His life as a ransom, to pay for the sins of mankind – and His resurrection from the dead assures us that He IS who He said He is. He also promised that He would return again to receive the Kingdom that His Father promised Him long ago, and the Scripture declares that this time, when the Son returns, He will not come silently (Psalm 50). He will return with a loud shout, and the sound of the trumpet (I Thessalonians 4 and I Corinthians 15). That will be a glorious day for everyone who loves Him and has placed his trust in Him – for all who have received forgiveness for their sins.
The clock is ticking. Why do clocks tick? Electricity? But where does it come from – where is the power source? What makes your heart beat? Why does the dog run and chase the cat? Why does a man love a woman, and unite to create children, who run and scream and grow up and leave home? There IS a reason.
Some may disagree or not be satisfied with my reasoning, but the reason that everything exists as it does is because God created it that way. No one completely understands why, but God tells us why in His Word. He tells us that He loves us and He wants us to love Him back. He also tells us that if we will listen to His Word and trust in Him, He will always take care of us. There are many wonders that we all share in this world that we should obviously thank God for, but most of all, we should thank Him for sending His Son. In the beginning, God created all things perfect, and without sin. But mankind has ruined this world by disobeying God. Mankind has been deceived by the devil and allowed sin to fill the earth. But God has rescued us by sending Jesus to the cross to pay for the sin that causes all the heartache – like rape and murder and terrorism and hate and greed and lust and lying and pain. And one day, sin will be completely eradicated!
The clock is ticking, but when will it stop? When will your heart stop beating, or mine? If you are not ready for that day, please don’t be too alarmed. There is still time for you. God is calling you, right now, to stop listening to all of the lies that this world says about Him. He does love you, and truly wants you to join Him, and to accept His offer of salvation through Christ.
It will be a glorious day when Jesus comes back to this earth. I can’t wait!! Maybe it won’t happen in my lifetime, but I think that everyone who is alive today senses that “something” is definitely going on, and wonders what it all means. It WILL happen sometime. Jesus will return. The only question is – when?
The birds sing for a reason. The dog barks for a reason. There is a purpose for everything that exists. This computer that I am tapping on (oh, so slowly) did not evolve. Your car does not start by magic – even though it may seem like magic to you and me, a mechanic can tell you why. But where did that mechanic get the ability to understand such things? How does one person have the skill to be a painter, or another a scientist, a doctor, a writer or a plumber? I don’t know the answer to any of those questions, but the Bible says that one day you and I will have the opportunity to ask Someone who does know everything – if we put our faith in His Son today. Will you do that? Right now? I hope that you will – that is why I am writing this.
As my pastor says, all you have to do is 3 things. First, admit and confess that you are a sinner who needs to be forgiven. That really should not be too hard to do, for we are all sinners, and we all know it in our hearts.
Second, believe that Jesus Christ died on that cross for your sins. That also should not be too difficult, because this is a fact that has been proclaimed throughout our world for two thousand years.
And third, accept Christ into your heart by faith. This is definitely not a blind faith, because it is backed up by many, many infallible proofs. The gospel, the good news that God has sent His Son to save mankind from eternal death, has been affirmed over and over. The apostle Peter said, in Acts 4, that there is no other name under heaven that has been given to men through which we must be saved. But you MUST accept it. You must pray to God, and ask Him to forgive you, and accept the gift of salvation into your heart.
If you do this, you will become a new and different person, because the Spirit of God will then enter your heart and life. I pray you will do it today – the clock is ticking.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
