Ensign: It's Not The End Of The World

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3

AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS                       7 October 2016


Shiela: (to group, after their arch-foe Venger destroyed a portal that could have let the six of them go home) Guys ... it's not the end of the world.

Eric: No, but it's a close second.

Those of us who were watched Saturday morning cartoons in the 1980s should especially appreciate this. The six kids ranging from eight to fifteen years old who were the main characters in Dungeons & Dragons were transported from an amusement park in their own world (which represented ours) to a fantasy realm where they were guided in being heroes and with each stop getting one step closer to getting a way home while Venger the primary villain wanted to stop them and get hold of their magic weapons of power -- supposedly those and this five-headed dragon Tiamat were all that stopped him from conquering the world.


Getting home is never easy.


Just what does a cartoon based on a role-playing game have to do with God's grace, the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit?  It's getting home. Don't get me wrong, when you and I accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we were guaranteed that we would be going to heaven -- home -- with Him for eternity. But in case you haven't noticed from that first minute of your salvation, you and I are still here. And boy am I disgusted with that some days. Do you ever get the impression that maybe God is just waiting to send His Son for us after we're all dead,

THEN occupying the earth should be no difficulty?


This was probably NOT the thought going through the disciples' heads when they saw Jesus rise into heaven (popularly called the Ascension, from the first chapter of Acts) but "while they looked steadfastly toward heaven ... two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus ... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Life was going to go on no matter what they did.


But it's better to be caught by Jesus DOING something than not, don't you think?


This tendency to cool our heels and wait and see for Jesus to return at the Mount of Olives as Zechariah prophesied is hardly new with today's audience. For the church in Thessalonica cited in Paul's second New Testament letter there (dated just over twenty years after the Ascension) already had people who were doing nothing and staying idle.

What did Benjamin Franklin say about idle minds? Ah yes, they're the devil's workshop.


Or to use Scripture's words from chapter three verse eleven, "For we hear there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies." It's easy to get swept up in the latest election or the latest season of a show as being the best or most decisive event ever

until the next one comes.


Nothing wrong with being prepared -- in fact it's required of us -- but life still go on until we get home and we ourselves have no power to accelerate our homecoming one iota!


Our power's in controlling what we do, and it's unlikely to be the end of the world.

But for us the beginning,

David








P.S. I write this devotional to keep in touch with you, and I hope it encourages you and me too! If it's not or you want me to get lost, please let me know. Thank you!

Thank YOU, Lord, that we can come to you in prayer and that we can count on You to provide for all our needs, even when we don't know what they are. And let us come to You in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of the fence and all over the world.


Thank You as well, Lord, for everyone in leadership and service both here and abroad. Thank You for the opportunities we have and the promise of new life through You by Your Son Our Brother, Jesus Christ.


And may we all seek and have a blessed week! Amen.