maran 'athâ' "O, Come Lord."

I think that this is a sign that I'm getting older (and hopefully wiser). It seems that every day I hear or read more and more of how the world is seemingly spiraling more and more out of control; and I think about my kids. Not only about how the culture that they are growing up in has changed even from mine (I grew up during the cultural revolution of the 60's and 70's--love, sex and rock and roll) but also about what the future holds for them. If I stop and dwell on it with the wrong frame of mind or focused on this question from the perspective of the world it can be depressing.

I had a moment like that last night as I was watching the O' Reilly Factor. Dick Morris (former Clinton adviser) was on talking about how the initial signs are there that U.S. policy is moving towards a one world government (at least financially... for the time being). Now my political leanings are moderate conservative (more and more Libertarian these days) and I have to admit that opinion stirred me up a little bit; then it gave me some concern (thinking here about my kid's future); and then I said to myself, "OK, that's good news." So why would that be good news (liberal or progressive viewpoints aside)?

Now I'm not a Jack Van Impe kind of guy. I'm not into trying to look at the current political landscape and world events and point to who on the world stage is represented by a particular Scriptural prophecy predicting when the rapture and tribulation will be upon us. That being said I do take the promise of Scripture seriously that Jesus will return to claim his own and judge the world; that's why I see this as Good News and say maran 'athâ'- "O, Come Lord."

Right or wrong, Rush Limbaugh used to say (and probably still does) that Liberals understood bad news for America as good news for themselves. In a sense that's one way to understand our anticipation of Jesus' second coming: bad news for the world is good news for the church (please don't try to make any political analogies here; that wasn't my intent). As people of faith we look forward to that day because those who are in Christ will claim the promise and have our faith consummated by being taken into the eternal presence of God (heaven... however you want to conceive it). That's Good News!

It's good news because regardless of your political leanings; we have our faith, our trust confirmed. Regardless of what is going on in the world around us... God can be trusted in His promises! Regardless of what happens in the world around us, regardless of our personal circumstances, God is faithful and we can know his peace.

But the reality of having an intimate relationship with Jesus means more than our own spiritual security. It's not about us getting out before things get really bad. The Good News is that our desire becomes: let's make sure others who do not know the love of God make it too.

That's what drives me. And as I get older, as I see the situations in the world seemingly get more and more out of control, I have a growing urgency or concern for people who don't know Jesus. A growing concern for my kids. Not primarily for their physical and financial security but for their spiritual security. Because I know that we are always one day closer to that day of Good News.

Am I worried? No. But I do feel a renewed sense of urgency and redecication to what God has called us to be about as His people and that brings me hope and joy! Any way you slice it that's Good News for both the world and the Church.