What if...

Well, I've promised friends and members of our congregation that I would begin to blog again. So I suppose if tomorrow IS the last day of civilization as we know it, then I should really get to it! Maybe you have been living under a rock for the last six months and don't have a clue about the great quake, rapture, and five months of torture being spoken over the earth. Harold Camping, 89, of California is predicting (I do not loosely use the term prophesying) that the world will end at precisely 6PM, Saturday, May 21, 2011. Well, begin to end anyway. It will actually come to an actual end October 21, 2011, but since I know Jesus, I will already be enjoying Heaven. While I prefer to place Mr. Camping into the category of the author of "88 Reasons Jesus will Return in 1988", I have a pretty vivid imagination. So I have been asking myself all day, "What if?"
The truth is, Mr. Camping picked a pretty important time to predict the Great Quake. Just yesterday our President made some very, umm, disturbing(?) suggestions to the Nation of Israel about dividing their land. Since the Bible clearly states the consequences of pitting yourself against His chosen people, it could be a magnificent coincidence if something catastrophic happens somewhere in our nation tomorrow...But, I don't think the Lord would really want a kooky man like Camping to take "credit" for the consequences of the GRAND MISTAKES (I am speaking far too kindly to Obama's statements and stand) that our current administration has made. Also, I believe God's people, who are called by His Name, are humbling themselves as I write, asking for mercy and forgiveness, and I believe that our God is hearing us. Blessed be His Name.
So, back to the point of this blog. What if? What if tomorrow at 6PM it was over? What would you do? What wouldn't you do? Here are some things I've come up with for myself:
I would forgive everyone. Every perpetrator of my wounds, tears, trauma, whatever. Forgiven. Every person I've ever been paranoid around, I would release that insecurity & fear. I would sit around with my family and snuggle under a blanket. We would talk about our high and low of the day or week. I would take a long hot bath while reading my favorite book on Heaven (my personal favorite is "A Divine Revelation of Heaven" by Mary K Baxter). I would probably sing. I love to sing worship songs around the house while I clean the kitchen, do laundry or other household chores. Ooo, and I would totally drink REAL Coke! And eat ice cream. I would let my kids sleep with us because I want to see the elation on their faces as we hear the Trumpet sound. I know it will all happen in a twinkling of an eye, but I would still love to see their beautiful smiles as we soared to meet Jesus in the air! Wow. I would definitely make sure all our bills were paid and my house was clean. I don't want people to question my character even after I'm gone. But wait! I'm getting ahead of myself! It's supposed to happen at 6Pm, so we'd be eating dinner. Ok, in that case, I would invite ALL of my family over to be here together. I would spend tomorrow morning going door to door in my neighborhood, posting things on fb, and making phone calls explaining the Gospel so that no one I knew would be left behind. I would call our church family together for one last service in our sanctuary. I would tell them how much we love them and how blessed we feel to be their pastors. Mark would read the passages in Revelation that describe the splendor of Heaven and we'd sing. I'd call my Mimaw and tell her we were about to be together with all our family who've already gone ahead of us and I'd have my Papaw pray over the phone just to hear that sweet voice as he talks to Jesus. I'd call Nanny and tell her how stinking excited I am to see my Pa! He never got to meet Mark. There's just so many things I can think to do...
But, I must tell you, I do not believe that tomorrow is the day. I interpret the Word to say that ONLY the Father Himself knows the day and the hour. So what do I do with all these ideas? I act on them as if today was my last day. I tell the world, and my neighbors that Jesus really did pay the price for them simply because He loves them. I worship the Lord with all that I do, whether I'm singing or not. I tell our church family how dear they are to us. I explain to my girls that we don't serve God because we're Pastors, but because He is so wonderful. I forgive everyone who has ever caused me pain. And I release that pain to my Healer. I make a decision to go visit my Mimaw & Papaw AS SOON AS school is out! I call my Nanny and go have lunch with my Dad and Lisa. I hang out with Mom and Chuck...and I NEVER let any of them wonder how I much I love them. I make sure they know! I continue to be a good steward (manager) of all the blessings God has given me: my health (no Coke & ice cream), my home, my money & my family. I will finish my assignments (yes, my book!). I boldly stand for Christ and His Word even in the face of religious mind sets and people who oppose me. I walk in the anointing that God has placed on my life without apology. And if tomorrow is my last day, I will hear "Well done, faithful Cheree'."
What about you?