Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Fire and Ice - Robert Frost
OK, everyone...mark your calendar. Jesus is returning on May 21st of this year. I know because I heard Harold Camping tell me so on Family Christian Radio last night. Of course Mr. Camping also predicted Christ's return in 1994, but every prophet is entitled to one missed prediction, right? (If anyone is interested, we are planning an "end of the world" party for May 20th. You're all invited)
Harold is certainly not the first to predict the date for the end of the world. Joachim of Fiore announced to Richard the Lionhearted in 1191 that the Antichrist had been born, and the end would shortly follow. The Taborites waited for Christ's return in February of 1420. Melchior Hofmann predicted the end of the world as we know it in 1533. If you want to irritate a Seventh Day Adventist, mention the Millerites ("I am fully convinced that somewhere between March 21st, 1843 and March 21st, 1844, according to the Jewish mode of computation, Christ will come"). When that didn't pan out, William Miller changed the date to October 22, 1844. And I know a number of groups that get a little hot if you point out that televangelist Herbert Armstrong blew a couple of end of the age predictions.
But it must be the end of the world, right? There is unrest in the Middle East (like that has never happened before). Birds are falling from the sky (forget the fact that there have been an average of 165 bird die-offs reported every year). The economy is in the toilet (it's almost as bad as it was in the 80's). And Justin Beiber has a new movie in the theaters (OK, now I'm worried a little).
So why? Why do I, at least once every couple of weeks, have to listen to someone telling me all the reasons the end is near?
There are a lot of reasons I can think of. Fear. Frustration. Ignorance. Glenn Beck (wait, I already listed him in a previous reason). But I really believe the driving force behind prediction addiction is a burning desire to be let off the hook. If Jesus is coming back tomorrow, then I don't have to do anything today.
I don't have to worry about the conditions in my community...Jesus will fix it all when He gets here.
There really isn't enough time to share the good news the Jesus desires a relationship with my neighbor...my neighbor will have to figure that out when the trumpet sounds, and by then I hope to be out of here.
Global warming and the environment...it's all going to be toast shortly.
There is a story of a young monk who confronted St. Francis as he worked in his garden. "Brother Francis, if you knew our Lord was returning tomorrow, what would you do today" he enquired. St. Francis simple replied "I would finish weeding my garden."
If Jesus returns in May...awesome! If He comes back before April 15th, even better. But until then (whenever "then" may be) I have some weeding to do.
