This world has stopped feeling like home. It stopped feeling like home a long time ago. The first time I was old enough to understand violence, hatred, and hurt was the first time I realized that this world would never give me the comfort that I craved. Hate and violence are never comforting and hurt the soul.
Yesterday morning I woke up to the horrifying news that America had just experienced the worst mass shooting in its history. Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, was having a concert series over the weekend when a man went out onto his balcony and decided to open fire into the crowd of people. As I am writing this, the death total is at fifty-eight with the injuries total being over five hundred.
Sometimes I stop and think, “How can a world full of so many horrible people and terrible things ever be seen as a home? How can people find comfort in this messed up place?” Then I remember that this world was never meant to be home. When God created the world all those years ago, He made it to be a temporary home before we reach our eternal home. Let me explain.
In the beginning, there was nothing. No galaxies, no planets, no earth, no day, no night, no land, no sea. There was nothing but total darkness and God. God decided to create the world and everything in it and outside of it. He began the entire human race with two people and a plan.
The earth was a beautiful and welcoming environment for Adam and Eve. They lived in the Garden of Eden and had use of all the vegetation and animals their hearts could ever desire, but they were told not to eat of one tree in this garden. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as it was called, was the only fruit-bearing tree in the garden that they were not allowed to eat from. God was trying to teach His people about rules and the idea that they are necessary in order for civilization to properly function. But, humans are sinners, we were born that way. That is why it is not surprising information when we discover that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree. As a result, man had to leave the garden and go work the rest of the earth.
It was never part of God’s will for His people to sin, but it was a part of His plan. If you are anything like me, then you have most likely wondered at some point in your life what is the difference between God’s will and God’s plan. Let’s take a few minutes and break it down.
God’s will is what He wants us to do. For instance, it is God’s will that the whole world will get saved and come to know their Heavenly Father. God’s plan, on the other hand, is what is actually going to happen. Not everyone will get saved and come to know the Lord. God has planned for that. God’s will is His desire, God’s plan is what is actually going to happen.
The reason why sin was allowed as a part of God’s plan for the world was because, if everyone is perfect and never does anything wrong, then there is no need for a Savior. There is no need for Someone to wash clean your sin stains and give you mercy and eternity in heaven. In fact, if there was no sin, everyone would go to heaven because sin is the thing that separates us from God. He is perfect. He has never done anything wrong and never will. That is why He gets to live in heaven and that is why His Son made the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world.
The earth was created as a temporary home for eternity. People are either going to spend that time in heaven or hell. You don’t get to spend a couple years in hell and go to heaven. Nope, not how it works. You either spend ALL of eternity in heaven or hell. The decision on where to go and how to get there is simple. If you continue in your wicked ways and refuse to believe and accept the power of Christ, then your eternity will be spent in hell. If you turn away from your sin, believe in Christ and who He is, and accept His free gift of salvation, then and only then, can you go to heaven. The choice is simple and future determining.
This earth is a horrible place to live when compared to the majesty of heaven. It is full of people who are full are sin in their hearts and who decide to do wrong purely because they think it will make them feel better. It may do just that, but the lasting effects will not comfort you. Heaven has streets of gold, each person gets a mansion, and let us not forget the good Southern Baptist dinner spread that will be had. (Because everyone knows that Southern Baptist potlucks have the best food).
Heaven is meant to be our home and we, as Christians, need to not only remind ourselves of that, but others as well. This terrible event should be a reminder that we do not know when our time on this earth will come to an end and it is crucial that we be proactive in sharing the gospel. I can’t help but wonder how many of those people didn’t know Christ and how many other people had the opportunity to show them the way but didn’t. Just because you die an awful death, doesn’t mean you’re going to heaven. This past Sunday in Sunday school, my teacher was talking about being bold and sharing the gospel. He said something that really stuck with me, “All I think about when I am debating sharing the gospel is, ‘What if I see them in hell and they find out that I knew about this amazing place and didn’t tell them? How would that make me feel if I were in that position and someone could have told me but didn’t?’.” That’s powerful right there. How many people knew about that amazing place and didn’t tell them? We have the opportunity to make sure that no person goes without hearing the gospel message. We have the ability to change the world for one person and that could make all the difference.
Take these emotions you are feeling right now and put them into your duties as a Christian. How does this massacre make you feel now? What are you going to do to help change that?
“Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. “IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.” The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.”
Acts 8:30-35 NASB
Comments 1
Keep up the good work.