Moving to the Final Decade
In a matter of days we will collectively enter the final ten years of this millennium. It has been a long haul, and there were times along the way when it looked as though humanity would not make it. Wars, pestilence, fire, flood, and the recurrent violent upheavals of the earth beneath our feet seem to conspire against our being here at all.
In spite of havoc and disruption, man tenaciously hung on to pursue the persistent vision of his own version of paradise. Great societies rose and fell as the trial and error process continued across the centuries. By the time the modern era was ushered in, world leaders were confident that they finally possessed the tools and tolerance to guide, or push, the nations into a bright new age. But for all the astounding knowledge and technology amassed over 1990 years (most of it in our lifetime), we are farther from attaining the humanly crafted utopia mankind dreams of then ever before. It seems rather obvious at this juncture that the order of the day over the next decade for these world builders will be how to avoid slipping into chaos.
All of which raises a fundamental question: Are we entering the final decade? Will the 1990’s be a “last gasp” of history before the return of Christ?
That a query of this kind is being raised certainly says something about the current state of affairs on this planet. In posing such a question one also anticipates the response from some who will deride the nation that the coming Christ is imminent. In the wake of the date-setting spree indulged in over the past several years some are choosing to align themselves with the contingent who, in the last days, exclaim, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Pet. 3:4).
This trend only tends to confirm the evidence of spiritual slippage, however, and should cause sensitive believers to begin to take stock of where we are as we enter the 90’s. For however one chooses to treat the evidence around us, we must acknowledge that it is becoming very, very, late.
It is time for use to get serious about commitment to Christ and His call to evangelize a dying world. Playing games with the culture and its values has created a sterile generation of people calling themselves Christian. It is obviously time to return words like sacrifice, service, and submission to our vocabularies.
This is the season when many make resolutions for the coming year. May I suggest just one to use, as long as the Lord tarries, throughout the entire decade? Put it on top of your list.
- Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
