These are the days

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti.

On February 27, 2010 a magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Chile.

Birth pains?

"Jesus answered:  Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ', and will deceive many.  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of birth pains.  Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:4-14

When will the end come?

Pretty heavy thoughts for a Monday I know, but this is just where my thoughts linger this morning.  I don't know when "the end" will come.

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning...It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes."  Luke 12:35,37

"No one know about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard!  Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."  Mark 13:32-33


I began thinking on these things last night after church when my family and I were over at the Civil family's home.  They had invited us to come over after church and hang out with them and another family from our church.  Tchella (the wife and mother in this family) is leaving tomorrow for Haiti to have her first face to face contact with her family over there since the earthquake hit back in January.

The Civil family are just precious to us.  They have faced and are facing difficult times, but you just about wouldn't be able to tell it being around them.  They are very giving even when they themselves have needs.  They are a testimony and example to me personally.  Their kids are sweet friends to my kiddos.

Poor Carl, the Civil's oldest child is so patient to put up with Bentley hanging on him all the time!  Carl collects transformers and has been so sweet to give some to Bentley and teach him how to "transform" them.

While we were hanging out, the guys began a little jam session on the keyboard and guitars.  It didn't take long for the ladies to join in singing.  I of course was chasing JennaBeth, but as I listened I couldn't help but think, "This has to be a little taste of heaven."  I heard singing in Jamaican accents, Haitian accents, Southern accents.  I watched people of color spontaneously worshiping with people of no color.  Then Tchella began singing in French.


"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.  They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'"  Rev.7:9-10


I want to be ready for that great day, don't you?  I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like to praise and worship The Lamb for all of eternity with such a multitude, but I'm thankful for the tiny picture of it I was blessed with last night.

Please pray for Tchella's trip to Haiti tomorrow.  She will be gone for two weeks ministering to her family over there.

Now, enjoy the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir singing "Days of Elijah"...

Watching,
Jennifer