what is going on?

It's safe to say that these are some crazy days that we live in. Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornados, famines, economies crashing, more predictions of the end of days. Has this stuff happened through all of time? I would say yes but because of the limited recorded information it is impossible to prove. The question that is really stirring in me at this point is whether these are the beginning of the birth pangs that are discussed through the New Testament? I can't really say either way, because either yes or no the future only holds worse things then these. I am not normally given to much fear of things and really don't know what I am scared of, but if these days are the beginning or just a foreshadow, well that scares me a little bit. Not for my own sake, my eternity is secure with Christ and I rest in that but for all the people that are blind and unaware of what is coming. 

We talk about these things with a half hearted blindness ourselves. Our scientific determinations have allowed us to "know" why things happen and ignore the fact that God is in control of it. A question that may come next to me is whether I understand that by inference I am saying that God kills people, well yes I do understand that. We live in with such a New Testament line of thought, you know grace and love that we forget about the stories from the Old Testament of God's wrath and judgment. Tangent time - to say that somehow God changed between the testaments is so foolish. The same characteristics are there on either side of Matthew but all the thin skinned "Christians" can't imagine God judging people. Well wake up! He has always shown grace and love but can't compromise Himself by allowing the unrighteous to enter His presence, think about the temple. God's heart for people is so crazy that He has no problem wiping out hundreds, thousands, millions of people to protect and awaken people to the reality of His majesty. 

The example that is really resonating with me right now is the story from Numbers 26:10. God protected His people from those who wanted to do them harm. Does He always do this, no but He didn't always do it back then but He will at times. I can't grasp that kind of love and righteousness but find it fascinating and encouraging that God does and will stand up for Himself and His people.

Going back to the original point, what is going on, I don't know and that's ok but God knows and has it all layed out for the best. If you believe that God is the same today as He was in the Bible then with that comes the reality that sometimes people will die and God will have allowed it to happen and even made it happen on occasion. Disagree if you want, but then you are disagreeing with the words that base your faith and that is a slippery slope to be on.