Ready Or Not?

A fire and brimstone preacher was delivering his usual doomsday sermon about the end of the world. “Reform!” he boomed. “Reform your lives because sooner or later the signs of the end time will appear in the sun, the moon and the stars. On the earth nations will be in anguish, distraught at the roaring of the sea and waves. Men will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the earth. The powers in the heavens will be shaken” (Lk. 21:25-26). Then, lowering his voice, the preacher said, “God hasn’t told us when he would bring the world to an end. That’s not for us to know. It could be a billion years from now.” Whereupon a worried voice from the back of the Church rang out, “How long did you say?” “It could be a billion years,” the preacher repeated. To which the much relieved voice replied, “Thank God! I thought you said a million years.”

Whether God has scheduled…