I have embarked on a Bible Reading challenge, 4×4x4, initiated by John Carroll and I think close to 60 people are doing it. I get invitations to do these types of things all the time, but this is the first one that I actually jumped at the opportunity. This got me excited about reading the gospels over and over. You know the idea of the more you read/listen to something, each time you learn something different? Well, that’s what drew me in. Reading the story of Jesus’ Ministry from 4 different perspectives…back to back…excited me.
During today’s reading, the end times was discussed. I’ve heard the story and read the passages over and over, but today Matthew 24:6-8 really struck me:
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” (emphasis mine)
All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. With all that is going on in the world today, wars and rumors of wars…nation against nation…kingdom against kingdom…famines…earthquakes, people are quick to say that we are living in the end times…the coming of the Lord is upon us! But verse 8 says that these are just the BEGINNING of the birth pains.
I don’t know if you have had the privilege of experiencing childbirth or witnessed someone go through it, but it is a pain unlike any other that I have experienced! Try to imagine the worse thing that you have went through, multply it by 100,000,000, and that will give you an idea of what childbirth is like (I’m exaggerating of course, but you get the picture).
The beginning of the birth pains are easy to deal with, not so hard, just like an anoyance in the background. So for Jesus to say that what we are currently experiencing is the beginning of the pain, Lord have mercy on us when the birthing begins!
