Short-Term Mentality
Posted on July 4, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters
December 31,1999. Remember that date and all the hype that went along with it? Where all the computers would shut down, banks would fail, and air travel would come to a complete stop. People even took their life savings out of banks. No one knew for sure the catastrophe that was to follow, but they listened to the “Doomsdayers” and the world would come to an end as we knew it.
Thirteen years earlier, the band REM had a hit song with the words “It’s the end of the world” in it, which played often in December 1999, “It’s the end of the world as we know, it’s time I had some time alone, and I feel fine!” Even back in 1962, Skeeter Davis’ hit song sounded similar to REMs, “Why does my heart going beating, why do these eyes of mine cry, they don’t know, it’s the end of the world, it ended when you said goodbye!” So, January 1st came and guess what, NOTHING. Sure, there were a few things about changing clocks and adjusting computers, but the world kept on going.
That’s most likely how the disciples felt when Jesus said in John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many rooms, if not, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you myself so that where I am, you may also be.” We would all like to know when He will come and take all believers with Him to glory. God doesn’t have a watch or timer set to for the rapture. And time is of no relevance to God. We need to prepare ourselves. The 2,000 years we have spent waiting could relatively actually be one second in God’s timing. Even before Christ ascended to Heaven Isaiah knew in Isaiah 51:11, “And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with singing, crowned with un ending joy, joy and gladness will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.”
We live in a culture that where want everything now: fast food, drive thru windows, next-day delivery, same-day dry cleaning, Grub Hub, and Uber Eats. We need to think long-term when it comes to Christ. Yes, He is coming; maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, or maybe it’ll be another 2,000 years. We need to slow ourselves down, read and study His Word daily. Take time to smell the roses and love on those close to us, and do good those aren’t. John 6:37 says, “Everyone the father gives to me will come to me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out.”
Written by Robert Breault: Robert was blessed to work 8 years in the Keswick Raws kitchen and is now retired, well, almost. He’s a loving husband to Shirley, a wicked stepfather to Shirley’s three “Angels”/children, and a doting Pop-Pop to their two grandchildren, Charlotte and Max. But most important, he is a child of the one true King!
Think About This: “Idolatry is not simply worshiping a stone image; idolatry is any concept of God that reduces Him to less than who He really is.” – Ron Carlson
The Daily Bible Reading: Jonah 3-4, 2 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 26. You can download our 2023 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize:“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness…’” Hebrews 3:7-8