The World is Falling Apart

I woke up to the news that Vladimir Putin authorized “special military operations” in Ukraine. I am no geo-political expert but from my simple viewpoint that sounds like Russia invaded Ukraine.  The ramifications of this act are significant yet not fully known. I do know there are immediate consequences for border countries like Poland. Poland has already begun receiving refugees. I know some missionaries working in Poland, who will be housing those displaced because of the military action. They will need extra financial resources to provide for the refugees fleeing the chaos. I would encourage you to consider how you may help, and if you don’t know how you can help, message me and I’ll put you in touch with them.  

But even before this invasion, I could have accurately written the same title to my blog. The news headlines sink deeper in slime every day. You read about a “four-year-old boy found dead in a freezer,” “Elderly Chicago couple are beaten senseless by a stranger in broad daylight,” “US national debt tops $30 trillion,” and “‘Man arrested after shooting, killing parents outside his apartment.” I haven’t even mentioned the gender identity headlines, supply chain shortages, worker shortages, skyrocketing inflation, or downright perverted headlines that are too shameful to post. Oh, and there still is that whole COVID thing that came up two years ago.

The world is falling apart. So let’s discuss the value of JOYFUL HOPE. I’ll pause and let you read that again—J O Y F U L  H O P E. Yep! You read it right, and I’m not crazy (though you may be able to find a witness or two that would argue against that claim). We read in Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Rejoice in Hope! Really?!? The world is falling apart!

There is an irony for the believer when we see the world falling apart—it means we’re that much closer to seeing it put back together. God predicted that the world would fall apart. If we believe God’s word, then we know that people will grow more corrupt, and senseless acts of violence and perversion will increase. Look at 2 Timothy 3:1-4, But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Hmmm?

Here is how Jesus described the world falling apart in Matthew 24:6-12,

“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.

 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”

Is any of this sounding familiar?

The world is falling apart, and therefore I have hope. Paul noted this in Roman’s 8:22-24, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved.”

The hope of our ultimate redemption and transformation at Christ’s return keeps us going, and we can even rejoice in that. When Jesus comes back to earth, He will restore all things and we will be given eternal resurrection bodies that will never know pain, disease or suffering. This is described in Revelation 21, Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” 

The world is falling apart, which is exactly what God said would happen. Therefore, I need not fear or grow anxious, but rather I can live in joyful hope. That doesn’t mean I ignore the heartache and tragedies that exist in this decaying world, but it does mean I don’t let those realities consume me. We can demonstrate love and empathy to the hurting, but we are not going to despair over those realities. God has told us that the world will fall apart and ultimately be destroyed and made new. We are not moving toward a humanly contrived utopia, no matter how many trillions gets thrown toward that objective. As believers we live in the hope that Christ will make all things new in the end. You and I can and must testify of that truth while there still is time. We have the privilege of giving the hope of Christ to others who have no hope. And as more of these signs of the times appear, I can obey the Lord’s command in Luke 21:28, “straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The world is falling apart. And behind that, I see Jesus bringing a far better one. Rejoice in hope, brothers and sisters!