This World's Only Hope

Tonight I sat watching the news in utter amazement. Before my eyes I saw footage of entire Japanese towns being washed away. I heard that around 10,000 have been found dead and tens of thousands are still missing. Families have been torn apart by the catastrophe. There are miles upon miles of rubble. Billions of dollars of damage. 

It is amazing to think that last Monday at this time Japan and all those now dead or lost were living their normal lives without the thought of an earthquake's soon appearance. I wonder what they would have done if they would have known it was coming. Would they have left? Probably. Would the nuclear plants ensured the saftey of the nuclear reactors? I'm sure. But they didn't know. That is part of life, we just don't know what is next.

There is something far worse than a Japanese tsunami and earthquake coming, far worse than a hurricane like Katrina, far worse than any war this world has seen... it will be the Tribulation and ultimately, hell. After God has sent Jesus to come and get His children, the world will go through catastrophe after catastrophe. Then worse than that, those left will be sentenced to an eternity seperated from God. I know it's coming. If you've called upon Jesus to be your Savior and Lord, then you know it is coming too. So I asked myself, "WHY AREN'T I TELLING EVERYONE???." Unlike the 'quake that devistated Japan, I know Jesus is coming back. He's told me so.

I was left thinking, "Oh, it's so sad that there was nothing to let them know that a 'quake and tsunami were coming. It just sprung on them." Their saving grace could have been to evacuate a few hundred miles from their coastal Japanese homes. And I know what the world's saving grace from an eternity in hell is, Jesus. Jesus Christ, the One who carried the weight of the world's sins upon His shoulders. The One who rose again. So why aren't we telling more people. I'm trying, maybe you are, but what if we knew Jesus is coming back tomorrow or in a week or month? We need to pretend He is. Those we tell may not believe us, as those in Noah's day didn't believe a world wide flood was coming, but at least they had been told. I don't want those I came in contact with while on this earth to look back and say, "Katy never even told us." Let's not assume people know the love and knowledge of God's grace. We have to show them through our words and actions.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and^(D) kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Matthew 24:6-8 (ESV)

Things like Japanese earthquakes have a way of reminding me to set my mind and heart on things above. It also reminds me that Jesus really is this world's one and only hope.