End Times?

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father                                                                                                      Matthew 24:36

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.                                                   Micah 6:8

We look around and we see that the world is in a precarious place. Dire situations in Gaza, Ukraine, and other lesser noted hot spots have produced untold suffering for people. Political unrest in the United States seems to be as vile and volatile as one can remember. Religious institutions have lost much credibility, with younger people simply opting out of traditional faith orientations. Such world affairs have led many to question whether we are approaching those dreaded “End Times”.    

For me, speculation on the “End Times” is not a very fruitful pursuit. First, I have no control of when and if such times are truly upon us. Maybe they are- but then does it really help to panic about such things? Jesus didn’t seem too excited about when the end was coming, saying that only the Father knows, and He is not telling. Jesus told us to occupy until the end, living out our faith and caring for one another no matter when the final bell rings.

Speculation about end times prophecy fulfillment, mystical interpretations, and dire warnings are, to me, not helpful. Maybe it’s just me, but trying to cram some apocalyptic meaning into scary world events just does not seem a good use of my time.

Even if time is short, shouldn’t we just concentrate on making this place we call earth a little bit more livable for those who suffer?  

Prayer: Lord, help us to keep first things first, caring for those who need our help, Amen