Three weeks ago I watched a 1998 movie, Deep Impact, with Robert Duvall and Tea Leoni. The movie was about an asteroid, the size of New York, that was heading for Earth in true “Armageddon style.”
America decided to send up a spaceship to destroy the monstrous asteroid but they failed. However, they finally succeeded, at least, in busting up the asteroid into two pieces: one smaller piece, and another larger piece, but both of them were still heading for Earth.
They all knew that their destruction was eminent so they devised a plan to save one-million people, two-hundred thousand of which were doctors, scientists, and the like. They ran a lottery for the remaining eight-hundred thousand.
The asteroid’s smallest piece eventually crashed into the Atlantic Ocean just offshore and the subsequent tidal wave destroyed the Eastern Seaboard to deep within the interior, I think, as far as Ohio. The water, however, eventually and fully receded to the original shoreline. The crew, sealing their deaths, flew the spaceship into the heart of the larger piece, destroying it, thereby saving the world.
Tah-Dah – The End.
Although Deep Impact was a predictable movie, it was fun and a break from reality. However, one spot toward the end had a ‘deep impact’ on me. Let me digress.
During the roundup process of those who won the lottery, people talked about what they should take? Personally, the subliminal sub-text was what’s important? The people knew that the prospect of certain and eminent death puts things into perspective r-r-real quick.
They would be safe where they were going until the Earth healed from the affects of the asteroid but when they returned, man would have to start all over again. So. . .what should they take? What was important?
If today presented us with the same scenario, what would you save for posterity? Would you take the works of Shakespeare, Thoreau, Dickens, and Mark Twain? What about saving the works of the great composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Puccini, Stravinsky, or Shubert? Do you think medical books might be of some use to the future of man? How about taking a computer, for where would we all be today without one? Many of man’s modern advances would surely benefit a brand new world. There was so little time left and so much from which to choose?
No one is getting out of this world alive, I understand that. However, I wonder how many of us, including me, would live our lives differently knowing that we didn’t have much longer to live. I would imagine that it would be hard to know we only had a year left or maybe a month, a week, or even a day, but the eminent proximity of that exact moment would certainly exacerbate our stress levels, to say the least. Would our lives and perspective change, if we knew this? What would be important to you?
For a day or two after the movie, I still contemplated the thought, “Death and what’s important?” I had a hard time getting those people and families out of my mind especially for those left behind. I didn’t think of what to save in the above movie terms, but I thought in terms of the rapture and the end of the age. As Christians, we are looking at that moment square in the face. It is certain and eminent.
Then I look at the world and see millions of people who need to hear about Jesus, some for the first time. I see strife, broken friendships, busted marriages, greed, a run amuck government, and schisms in the body. All the bickering amongst the brethren saddens me - eternal security, no eternal security; baptism by dunking, baptism by sprinkling; pre trib, mid trib, post trib – my goodness. Some even criticize the way others worship God. May God help us all.
It finally dawned on me that as Christians, our metaphorical asteroid is about to hit Earth. I have to ask myself, with the eminent rapture of the church at hand and the end of the age close by, what’s important.
I personally concluded that as long as we believe that Christ hung on the Cross, died for us, arose on the third day, and many seen Him, then we are brothers and sisters in the Lord. In 'that day,' at that moment, nothing else matters. . .nothing! Christ left us with just one job, “. . .Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
Praise God however, that when our asteroid hits, God also has a plan to take us away and keep us safe. Only there’s room for everybody, not just a million people. . .and hallelujah, there will be no lottery needed. Christ is coming for all of us who believe and in the twinkling of an eye we will all. . .
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Next week: Lily of the Valley. While writing my second nonfiction book, the Lord gave me some insights during my studies of the Song of Songs. I would like to share one of them with you. Prayerfully, this will help you avert any horizontal and/or vertical relationship problems.
God bless you all and we’ll see you next Monday.
Thanks for stopping by,
Your Host: James Warren
Christian Author
http://www.jameslindquist.net
Check March archive or my Web page for explanation of my names.
http://www.jameslindquist.net/htmfiles/biograph.htm
1 comment:
Good food for thought, Jim! I've learned that what's important is only whatever we will get to take with us when we leave this life.
The rest will disintegrate and come to nothing, literally. So why spend time bothering with what will not endure, when we can focus on the only thing(s) that will? I think, "Why should I leave anything behind, when I could have used it for the good of others?"
I'm sorry, but I have a problem with wealthy Christians who justify their lifestyles by saying, "There's nothing wrong with me enjoying what God has blessed me with."
I think of the wicked servant who buried his master's talent, thinking only of himself, instead of using it to prosper his master's kingdom.
There are any number of orphans in the world who would be blessed beyond imagination with one tiny fraction of the money that some Christians spend just on fancy clothes.
I cannot judge, I know, but I'm afraid that some (including me) might at some point regret all they leave behind to the scavengers, that could have been better spent loving the needy.
Because the only thing that will endure our transition from this life to the next is the good fruit of whatever we've done in the love of God and others.
I'm confident that God won't ask me how well I did in amassing wealth, how fancy my car was, how well dressed I was. I think the only thing He might ask me is, "How well did you love others with what I gave you?"
And I certainly agree with you concerning all the doctrinal differences and bickering among the Body. Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 is very clear about such things. Have you read my blog post, "Is Christ Divided?" It is based almost entirely on 1 Cor. chapter 1.
Great food for thought, Jim! Excellent subject.
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