I'm sitting at my kitchen table in a short-sleeved shirt watching ladybugs inside (where did they come from?) crawl along the window that wasps are trying to penetrate from the outside. Giant flies are buzzing and bonking along the walls looking for an escape route into the sun that floods the room. Poor creatures are entirely deceived about the season. It's in the upper 60's only 48 hours after I sat on the front porch steps watching snowflakes melt on multi-colored leaves. In just a brief moment the weather did a full illusive tilt on its axis. This kind of thing is what the Lord doesn't want us to be taken aback by. He wants us to know the times and seasons we are living in so that a temporary gust of comfortable air, cozy temperatures, and pleasant surroundings do not provide the backbone of our stability, contentment and joy in life.Dan 2:20 "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever...He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings..."
This is one of MANY scriptures I need to remember concerning this upcoming election. The church dropped into prayer and fasting four years ago when the consequences of a democratic nominee seemed dire. Afterwards, maybe we felt as though the sun came out and we'd be okay for the next four years while our nation was following a king we felt we could trust. But this year? Oh my...I can barely conceive of what may happen to our country under a President that can approve the killing of a little baby who has survived an abortion. His foundations of belief, principles and perspective of God's Word horrify me.
YET, after we have done the most we can personally, to stand for righteousness in a Christ-like manner, the Lord has instructed us to get our eyes off of leaders, governments, nations and fix them upon Himself because our times are the last days...and our help was, is, and forever will be, in God alone.
2Tim.3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Now I see no regard as to WHO is ruling at the time...it is a condition of WHEN...and that being "the last days". Today it may be warm and the air filled with aroma's of baking pies, sounds of children laughing, and the sun warming our shoulders. But don't be deceived and don't be shaken when the brisk air suddenly blows and a cloud covers the sky. Your God is still God. He is ruler of all. He is equally your loving Father whose eyes never blink. His care is sure, His promises steadfast, His provision continual and His sufficiency for EVERY situation available.
1Th 5:1,6,8 "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober...let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation."
Jer 17:7,8 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit."
Praise the Lord...no matter what happens...because Jesus is closer today to calling us home than He ever has been.
