I woke up on Sunday, September 24 and the first thought in my mind was, “Well, I guess the rapture didn’t happen.”
The next thing I did was search the internet to see if either North Korea fired another ballistic missile, if a massive earthquake hit somewhere in North America, or if some other major catastrophe took place. Well, none of those things happened either, apart from the ensuing devastation caused by previous hurricanes and earthquakes.
But then I began to wonder about all those who were expecting the rapture to take place. I was wondering how they might be thinking and feeling after waking up the next day, and the next… I can only imagine how much mental, emotional and spiritual energy was exerted into preparing for this event.
Cuz there were many in the Christian world, at least in North America, who were certain that September 23, 2017, during the feast of Trumpets, with the Revelation 12 sign in the sky, following all the natural disasters, following all the wars and rumors of wars, was the date and time of the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Again, I can only imagine the disappointment and confusion. Perhaps there was even a sigh of relief and comfort.
But the question that still needs to be addressed is, what now?
Here are 5 things we should consider doing in light of September 23rd not being the date of the rapture or the end of the world.
1. Preach the Gospel
Focus once again on preaching the Gospel. It is the Gospel that saves sinners from that day which will come. Let your words and your life be a living testimony to the power of the Gospel. Let your life make Jesus irresistible… Irresistible for His Love and Compassion… For His pursuit of those who don’t know Him yet… For His sacrifice for us. We have a hope that this world needs… the hope of salvation, redemption, and healing. Make this a high priority in your life.
2. Invest in Relationships
Invest in the relationships you have now. Whether that be with your closest friends, your neighbors, your family, your husband, your wife, your children… make sure you take time and effort to build one another up. That may mean to make amends with those you lost touch with, those who have become distant, those who have fallen away. The building and re-building of relationships have the potential to reap eternal benefits.
3. Be Mindful of what you feed your soul.
We live in an age of information overload. There is a lot of material out there, and not all of it is true. Not all of it is fruitful for you. If what you are taking in causes fear and anxiety, it’s probably not a good idea to indulge in those things. The Bible encourages us to keep that which is good and noble in our minds because of how it affects our everyday life. So when you hear about another possible date for the end of the world, keep your thoughts in line with Matthew 24:36. No one will know the time of the end except one person, that is God the Father. If you are filling your soul with His words and His thoughts, you’re good… And the occasional Netflix ain’t too bad either.
4. However, Be watchful…
It is still valid to be aware of the signs of the times. The sons of Issachar in the bible were credited as those who were aware of the times to give warnings up ahead. So with that said, I am not negating the passages in the bible that talk about the signs of the last days. We are living in that time. However, let the signs of the times compel you to follow steps 1 and 2.
5. Enjoy Every Moment
Each day that you and I have is a gift from God.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:34 ESV
Whether the end of all things is tomorrow or 100 years from now, we still have today. See it for what it is. A blessing from God. To bask in the glory and beauty of His creation, to receive His unfailing love and extend it to others, to be blessed in order to be a blessing.
The end may be near, but it’s not yet. Make every day count.
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