Corona Devo 739

Has the time come?

And what should we be doing in the meantime?

The Bible gives a few "signs" that we can look for as we draw "near" to the "last days". And as we read Scripture/view today's headlines/and interact with those living among us...many of the "signs" seem to be pointing in the same Biblical direction:

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars...  ~Matthew 24:6

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. (2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, (4) treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God...  ~2 Timothy 3:1-4

If these are "the signs"...has the time come?

I'm not sure, and the Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times (Acts 1:7), but whether the time is near or far, our daily agenda and assignment remains the same: And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth...Acts 1:7). And our preparation routine remains the same: They all met together and were constantly united in prayer...(Acts 1:14).

No one really knows what tomorrow holds, and the Bible says that isn't our main concern anyway...our assignment is to fuel up on prayer with others and to share God's Word, hope and truth with those in our local, national and world reaches (throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth).

The disciples wondered (after Jesus had been crucified and was risen) if He would be back soon?

We are still wondering the exact same thing: is Jesus coming back soon?

The direction Jesus gave to His disciples for spending their days is still valid for how we (as His disciples) should plan our agenda today:

(4) Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. (5) John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

(6) So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” ~Acts 1: 4-6

We, too have received "the gift" of the Holy Spirit (the spirit of God within us), and our hearts long for the pure and restored experience of "being" with Jesus.

Many times we look around our broken world and the hardened hearts of those surrounding us and we are ready too: for the Lord to free us and restore us. Our hearts are asking the same thing that the disciples did: "Lord, has the time come?"

But Jesus doesn't give exact dates and times, instead He gives us direction:

He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ~Acts 1:7-8

Our "assignment" today is not to determine the date of the 'last day", but to be witnesses for Jesus: near (Jerusalem), far (to the ends of the earth), and in between (throughout Judea and Samaria). Jesus placed His spirit within us for a purpose, and that is to share our story of how Jesus is real in our lives, so that others might be encouraged/blessed/or even led-to-Christ so that they can experience Him for real in their lives.

The time is coming...and the signs are real, but until that time comes, we are to be His witnesses in staying busy with the "assignments" that God gives us each day, whether they take us to "Jerusalem", "throughout Judea"..."Samaria"...or "to the ends of the earth".

And when we wonder how to keep on with our daily duties for Christ, He has given us direction for that as well. (And here's a hint: Jesus does not tell His disciples and us to do/accomplish/volunteer/serve as-much-as-they-can. Jesus does not say that the individual with the most good deeds will please Him the most.) Instead the Bible highlights and prescribes the unity of us joining with others in prayer as we seek to live and serve God with our lives.

As we await final bodily/moral/societal freedom and restoration in Jesus, the Bible explains how we are to experience it here and now, until the time comes for our ultimate freedom and restoration in Christ: by meeting together and being constantly united in prayer:

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. (13) When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying...(14) They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.  ~Acts 1:12-14

~~~~~~

Has the time come?

I'm not sure because the Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times but whether the time is near or far (or somewhere in between): our daily agenda and assignment remains the same (And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere... ~Acts 1:7), and prayer remains the source of our encouragement/hope/strength and unity with other believers.

I can't say (regardless of the worldly "signs") whether or not the time has come. No one really knows what tomorrow holds. But whether that day is near or far, we can know the plans we need to make for this day, so that we will be ready for that day: Let's all meet together and be constantly united in prayer.  (Acts 1:14).

The time has definitely come for that.

Blessings,

Sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com