Remaining Watchful

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,
saith the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8

The Lord reminded me of this verse this morning after I sat in and listened to a presentation on the scientific support of the creation. There are a number of different Christian views: Young earth; old earth; gap theory… and so on. Now, please don’t think that I’m downplaying the importance of knowing something about these theories and the Biblical and scientific evidence that proponents of each theory use to support their position. I’m not. In fact, I think as Christians we should learn, under the Spirit’s tutelage, as much as God has chosen to reveal in the Scriptures, and we should embrace as many subjects that God introduces. That’s why you find my blogs are topical, rather than systematic. Frankly, I have no idea from morning to morning what I will write. My blogs are based on what the Spirit prompts me to write coming from my morning devotional, which spans reading through the Bible and a couple of sermons each day.

However, this morning I was deeply grieved by the news that Christians in Iraq were given an ultimatum to either convert to Islam or to leave quickly. Next, my wife told me that a couple of Ukrainian aircraft were shot down. Of course too, the battle rages in Gaza. That announcement was followed by the Men’s Bible Study discussion on creation and the different opinions. During that discourse, the scientific issue of global warming was raised (not the temperature; the issue), and I overheard comments about our country’s leadership. Frankly, I got a bit down, but then the Lord reminded me, and I pointed out to the men that the Apostle Paul told us that the battle we’re seeing is not of flesh or blood, but of powers and principalities. What we see going on around us is certainly not outside the control of our sovereign God; Whose ‘thoughts are not our thoughts and ways not our ways.’ It is with that, our faith ought to engage and spirits rise. Mine did. As my faith and confidence increased, I found myself pondering the events of the day in context with what the Scriptures alluded to during the last days.  It just seemed to me that the current political and global discussion points are centered on moving us more closely towards a ‘new world and one world order.’

As for some of those points, mankind seems to be pushing global warming to fill the vacuum that the secular removal of God created… some significant and life threatening issue had to be put into place to bring a godless society together in a unified outcry of dread and global reform in emissions control. In America, Russia/Ukraine, Syria/Iraq, and Israel/Gaza, we’re seeing conflicts that deal with borders, which opens the door to a host of potential threats where no boundaries are observed. In Iran, we learn of their push to develop a nuclear weapon and to subvert any effort towards peace in the region, especially regarding Israel’s autonomy and continued existence. In America, we see the demise of our international role in leadership and a seemingly growing unwillingness to engage in any fight; even though the commitment would restrain evil. I wonder what country will fill the vacuum in global affairs once America bows out? China? Russia? The European Union? Under whose political influence?

Oh, well… I’m not going to think for God or to anticipate His next move; after all, His thoughts are not mine… well, not exactly as to who, what, where, and when. We know the why: God will bring Satan’s rebellion to a close. Nonetheless, God did give us His Word; His Son and Spirit, and Jesus told us to be watchful of the seasons. For that reason, let us walk humbly with our God, and remain ever watchful. Just remember what Jesus told His disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33