Hasten the Day for a Truly Unprecedented Day
Lately, we’ve heard a lot about how we are living in an “unprecedented” time and how we can “hasten the day” when life returns to normal by following the President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America. Maybe so, but human history unequivocally experienced a one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen, unprecedented day when God’s Son walked out of the grave on that first Easter morning. However, there is another unprecedented day on the horizon—the rapture of the Church. Can we hasten the day when Jesus Christ returns to earth by following God’s guidelines outlined in the Bible?
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thes. 4:16-17).
Years ago, with tears in her eyes, our teenage daughter, Jamie, walked up to me, sobbing, “Mom, it’s just not fair! I have heard the gospel hundreds of times growing up in a Christian home in America, and most people in this world haven’t heard the story of Jesus one time!” After college, Jamie obeyed God’s call on her life and followed Him to a remote area in the heart of Red Communist China.
Since the birth of the Church, countless thousands have left home and family to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and reach those who have never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. Believers have a role to play in this world-wide endeavor, either to go, pray, and/or support financially those who go. Apparently, there is still much work to be done.
There are 7.2 billion people on earth, and more than four billion of these are still waiting to hear an adequate witness of the gospel and the opportunity to receive Christ. This is staggering and unacceptable.
During these uncertain and turbulent times, has God pushed the pause button on our lives? Just a few short months ago, we squawked that we were so busy we never had enough time to get everything done (I wrote a book about that!), much less pray and read the Bible. Now, many of us have plenty of time and still have trouble making time for God in our daily lives. Whether feast or famine, it’s critical we manage our time wisely. We can learn from King David (2 Samuel 11) who had so much free time on his hands that he got sidetracked and messed up royally. We can’t let our guard down.
Seek the Lord today. Make it a goal to grow in your knowledge of the Word (2 Peter 3:18). And share the love of God with someone who doesn’t have a clue. In this way, you too can fulfill the Great Commission and hasten the day of the Lord’s return by following God’s guidelines for the world.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
The way we currently do church has changed dramatically thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Online church services have increased viewership and virtual church attendees around the globe. So, while God has pushed pause on my busy life, has He pushed fast-forward on getting the gospel story to those who have never heard or taken the time to listen? It’s something to think about. Perhaps the Church should prepare to welcome and disciple an influx of seekers and new believers when the doors do swing open!
God is definitely up to something in these last days. It could be an unprecedented harvest of souls! He has ways to reach the lost even when man’s ways fall short, because God is not willing that any should perish (Matthew 18:14).
May we “hasten the day” by doing everything we can to reach the lost for the imminent and truly “unprecedented” day, the rapture of the Church.