Daily Reflections on 1 Thes. 5:4-11 (What's Up with the World?)

What's the world coming to? The End. Some day God is going to send Jesus back to earth and it will all come to an end. I honestly don't know or really care if it will happen instantly or over a thousand years. It's of little consequence. What is of consequence is the day of accounting or as some call it, "Judgment Day." Upon Jesus' return there will be no question and no atheists, nor agnostics, nor deists. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

As a follower of Christ, my focus should be on His return or at least my day of accounting. Each and every day that God grants us breath is a day that should be lived unto His glory. Since as a believer I've been redeemed at the cost of Jesus' life, my life should be lived in gratitude, with purpose and an awareness of God's daily presence.

Self control and personal discipline appear to be a lost or archaic virtue in today's instant gratification and self indulgent culture. "Buy now, pay later" is the order of the day, which has led to unbearable debt. "Why wait till marriage" has led to a record numbers of abortions, illegitimate births, welfare entitlements, and STDs. Both attitudes have contributed to the astronomical divorce rate and number of couples living together outside of marriage.

When Christ returns, His followers will have no excuse. We are to live with self control, personal discipline, faith, hope and love. Christ didn't die for nothing. We were bought with a price. Apparently our salvation is linked to how we live. In this "it's all about me" society we live in, God calls us to live for Him, in Him and with Him. In order to do that, we, as followers of Christ, must encourage each other, build each other up. We can't afford to isolate ourselves from one another, to point accusatory fingers at one another or ignore one another. We should celebrate one another our victory in Jesus. We should share our mutual hope with one another; stand with one another; support one another.

God, I don't want to waste my life. I don't want my life to be about me. Use me as a light for you, as an encouragement to others. Keep me focused on what's really important. Help me in areas where I lack discipline to practice self control. I want each day of my life to count for you.