Scripture
29But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. 30Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. 31Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Observation
As I was reading Paul’s wake up call to the single and married believers in Corinth I immediately thought of the words of Jesus and his warning for readiness: “But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:36-39; see Luke 17:26-27) The ancient Greek word for short is “sustello,” meaning “contracted and rolled up, as sails used to be by the mariners, when the ship draws nigh to the harbour.” (Trapp) So, if the harbor is near, and the sails are shortened how do we get the ship ready for harbor? Paul isn’t instructing neglect of marriage, family, and responsibilities, but teaching us to see them in light of Christ's soon return. Now is not the time to live for the moment. What makes us happy or sad or the accumulation of possessions are all temporary pursuits and can often be the sole drivers of our daily decisions. We need to get our houses in order today!
Application
It’s very interesting that almost every table I’ve been at lately the conversations keep moving towards preparedness for what’s coming. Conversations with family, friends, our neighbors two nights ago, our church council last night- everyone is talking about making sure they have supplies for when, not if, the world shuts down again. As Cyndi and I were talking with our boys about our preparedness plans last Friday I could see them looking at me like their Dad had gone down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole and couldn’t get out. I said to the boys, “I know you guys think we are overreacting as we plan out food, communication, and meeting places, but I want you to think back to 2019. What if I had sat you down at the table and told you everything that was going to happen in 2020 with the Pandemic? You guys would be looking at me then like you’re looking at me now. I was caught off guard then and I won’t let that happen again. I don’t want to look you in the eyes the next time around and tell you that I was caught up in my daily plans and selfish pursuits and not preparing for the future. We can’t be prepared for everything, but we can be prepared for some things.” Then, as if to put an exclamation point on my conversations these past couple of days, I saw a video from Admiral Rob Bauer of NATO intelligence in a press conference: "You need to have water, flashlights, and a radio on batteries to make sure you survive the first 36 hours. I'm not saying it is going wrong tomorrow, but we have to realize it's not a given that we are in peace. We are not seeking any conflict. But if they attack us, we have to be ready." Now, this was said back in January specifically regarding the negative outcome of the Russian/Ukraine conflict, but it does have a baring on today’s scripture.
Prayer
Lord, I’m so sorry for getting so caught up in selfish pursuits and escapes and forgetting how short this life really is. “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.” (Ps. 39:5) I want to be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove (Mt. 10:16) in these last days. I don’t want to live in fear, but I want to live in wisdom and spend my time on that which has eternal value. Thank You for the poignant reminder that my time on this planet is simply practice for eternity with You!
