Catching Idle Butterflies

Repent for the end is near!!

Below is a rewrite of the entry I originally planned for yesterday. I didn’t add it partly because I hadn’t finished it, but also because something bugged me about it. It seemed off, as though I didn’t succeed in presenting my point of view very well.

Have you ever approached an idea from a certain direction and soon realize your arguments are full of holes or you had tried to make too many points at once? This happened to me. I decided then to remove those portions (over half, more like 90% actually) and start over, sticking to the one inspired by zwisis from part of the comment she left in a previous entry:

“A religious friend claims we're living in the end times, when religion is under severe attack, and our beliefs will be tested. Perhaps this book is [p]art of that attack.”

I’ve often thought the same thing, especially after reading the Left Behind series. This will be no dissertation on biblical prophecy, because I’m no scholar, nor would I want to bore you. The gamut of opinions on how the future will unfold a certain way is as vast as opinions on how to achieve peace in the Middle East (and just as contentious at times).

After reading the books, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if the Rapture happened right now?” No more pain, no more sadness, frustration, despair, fury, hatred and death.

Not too many months later, I changed my mind. I agree Christianity is under attack. All we have to do is remember the Christmas season last year and all the arguments over saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”, etc to know that.

This is nothing new. It began at His death. Afraid Jesus’ disciples would steal His body and claim His resurrection, the Romans sealed up the tomb with a huge stone, as well as placing it under guard. Years later when His disciples preached, the leaders of the day forbade them to speak Jesus’ name in public. Sound familiar?

To use another example (and I add this more to vent than anything), my biggest pet peeve as to how people are trying to “erase” Jesus today is by using the two acronyms CE and BCE instead of BC and AD.

CE means “Common Era” and BCE means “Before Common Era.”

Whether you believe Jesus was the son of God, or simply a man, He had the largest influence on history than any other. We measure our years based on the birth of Jesus – his human birth. That makes it historical, not religious. Are they also going to ignore Leap Year (the Gregorian calendar) because Pope Gregory XIII ordered its implementation?

Is this another piece of evidence indicating we are in the “End Times?”

Does it matter?

Mark 13:32-35 says this: “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don't know when they will happen, stay alert and keep watch.

“The coming of the Son of Man can be compared with that of a man who left home to go on a trip. He gave each of his employees instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. So keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when the homeowner will return--at evening, midnight, early dawn, or late daybreak. Don't let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch for his return!”

We were given signs to keep an eye out for, but these signs have been taking place ever since Jesus died. We have been in the “End Times” for over 2000 years looking at it that way.

None of us know, nor are we meant to. God instead charged us to live our lives, to do His Will with the best of our abilities so we may not be caught sleeping or idling about.

I’m not waiting or expecting any Rapture. In fact, I’m praying and hoping it doesn’t come any time soon (if at all). I still have so many things to do yet, to be that good and faithful servant.