I have a news service on my computer  where I read the news. You may remember I turned my television off. Good decision. It just spewed negative information all the time. Now I can pick and choose what I want to see and view in a more deliberate way.

Anyway, this news service gives me a rundown of the day’s top stories. Today it is: Hurricane  Maria making a direct hit on the Island of Puerto Rico, the death toll estimated at 200 – so far – in Mexico City after the earthquake, in the UK you can now use your finger print to buy groceries, a former POTUS is making speeches to the tune of $400K, terrorists are using FaceBook to spew their extremism, anger fuels the political climate (apparently we are angry about everything), a witch is casting spells, a drug raid in NYC found enough to kill 32 million people, a suicide bridge was added to a NYC bridge, there are multiple investigations going on and the world is running out of antibiotics.

Wow!

When you see all that together it makes you wonder how much longer we can go on. I  worry about the next generation and what they will face. I am sure Daniel’s mother worried as he was sent off to Babylon or Hannah as she left Samuel at the temple under the influence of Eli’s wicked sons. Or my mother worried about Franklin as he drove across Europe to deliver a Land Rover to a hospital in Jordan. All three women, and countless others, trusted God through the millennia, to protect and provide for His own.

But people ask me if all the things going on indicate Jesus’ return. He told us in Matthew chapter 24 to be aware of the signs of His coming. Things like wars and rumors of wars, false teachers, nations against nations, famines, earthquakes, persecution of Christians, betrayal of each other, lawlessness will increase, the powers of the heavens will be shaken… Things will get so bad that He will cut the days short for the sake of His own. And He warned us that people would make predictions but no one knows the time of day – only the Father knows. But there will be signs…

Be aware of the signs. Personally, I don’t think it will be much longer. But I know my grandparents felt that way, too. Each generation has thought, prayed and longed to be the ones to see Jesus come in the clouds. I remember overhearing such a conversation and think, “Not until I get married.” The young desire to live a fulfilled life before Jesus comes and the older generation realizes Jesus is the fulfilled life!

Jesus tells us to be ready. Are you?

I like the title of my book: Fear Not Tomorrow, God is Already There!