Yesterday the man I was meeting with said, “It’s hard to be motivated when the end of the world is coming in two weeks!”

I think he was being facetious but if he wasn’t,  he would only be one of many who are spending hours observing the signs, watching the multitude of YouTube videos and discussing what may be coming upon us in what I am calling “The September Mystery.”

I read Jonathan Cohn’s two books, The Harbinger and The Mystery of the Shemitah several months ago.  I finished The Mystery of the Shemitah while I was in England visiting our daughter and without the distractions of my regular life, I was able to spend some good amount of time praying and reflecting on the message.  I asked my husband, Bill, to read them too when I got home.  We were struck enough with the message that we decided to take some financial action. 

I’ve also gotten up in the middle of the night for all the Blood Moons.  Each time I stood there and watched the moon's turn red, I had a sense that I was joining a multitude of other people who are choosing to watch the signs in the sky.  We were in Hawaii for the last one--and while I laid in the grass for the short 7 minutes, I realized that it was not just Good Friday, but it was also, Passover.  I wondered how long it had been since a Blood Moon had taken place on both Good Friday and Passover--if ever.  

And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth—blood and fire and columns of smoke.  The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood  before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.  Joel 2:30-31

We left Hawaii on Easter (I know, sad way to spend Easter on the airplane).  Before our flight took off, the pilot came out and asked if anyone had experienced the earthquake that took place at dawn that morning!  I thought that was so interesting….as that would have been the time of Jesus’ resurrection on the original Easter!

Even without the prophetic books and the signs in the sky, I find there’s enough about this season of history to want to be wide awake, watching and prayerful.

This morning I read an excellent editorial by Thomas Friedman where he explored the challenges of national borders in Walls, Borders, a Dome and Refugees.  

He states that the three largest forces on earth:  “Mother Nature (climate change, biodiversity loss and population growth in developing countries), Moore’s Law (the steady doubling in the power of microchips and technology), and the Market (globalization tying the world every more tightly together)--are all in simultaneous, rapid acceleration.”

He’s right.  Never before in history have we been so connected to the whole world.  What happens in a country one day can reverberating effects around the world, just as we say in Hungry last week.

Friedman goes onto explore governments:

“Historically we’ve counted on empires like the Ottomans, colonial power, and autocratic strongmen, such as kings and colonels, to hold artificial states together and provide order in these regions.  But we’re now in a post-imperial, post-colonial, and soon, I believe, post-authoritarian world, in which no one will be able to control these disorderly religions with an iron fist while the rest of the world goes on about its business.”

So, here’s the big question, “Are we in the last days?

I don’t know.  Jesus told us that even the angels in heaven don’t know the timing, but we are to be like the 10 virgins, ready to welcome and celebrate the arrival of the bridegroom.

I am always hesitant to declare that we are entering into the last days, because we all know enough history to understand that wars, natural disasters and massive oppression of people groups has been happening since the beginning of time.

Here’s what I do know with certainty.

We need deeper faith root systems than we’ve ever had before.  

The challenges of 24/7 technological connections can continually keep us distracted.  Our global world, along with technology, keeps us updated on all every crisis, keeping our adrenaline pumping, exhausting our spirits and bodies.   Quite often our support systems have dwindled as we move away from extended family and our own families become fragmented.  

Okay, enough exploration of the challenges, the real questions are:

“What are we supposed to do?

How are we to navigate this point in history, and even more specifically, the mystery of September?”

I’ve chosen to stake my life on the Power of the P’s!

• Prayerfully~ Prayer, along with worship, lifts me up above the noise, the distractions and the chaos of life, into a place where I can experience God’s heartbeat and hear his thoughts--through Scripture and His Spirit living in me.
• Preparation~We are preparing our home and supplies for the possibility of an extended power lapse so we have the basic necessities.   I am also gathering enough to share with my neighbor, should they have a need.
• Promises~ I am choosing to focus more of my time and attention on Jesus’ promises than the fear producing alternatives swirling around the atmosphere.
• Power~We aren’t in a time of status quo with God.  He is releasing his power in much greater measure as we “seek first his kingdom.”  Miracles are becoming everyday occurrences!
• Presence~We are not alone, the Holy Spirit lives in us.  

Here’s the good news about this season:  Jesus tells us over and over, “Do not fear!”  Every angel that visited people in Scripture immediately said, “Don’t be afraid.”

We, who are kingdom people, have something spectacular to offer the world.

We can take it out of the tight religious boxes that our faith has been held in, and offer it to the desperate people around us.

But, in order to do that, we need to be reclaimed people who shine with Christ’s light, walking in his zoe resurrection power, and filled with his overwhelming, unconditional love.  Yes, that means let’s love everyone--even if they hold a different theological view or live a different lifestyle or are in a different ethnic and economic realm. Even if they are our enemies.

Because in God’s Kingdom, everyone gets to play!

Christianity took hold in the first century because Jesus followers took loving people seriously.

 They reached beyond themselves to serve--even when it cost them their lives.  During the plagues of the Dark Ages when a significant percentage of the population died, it was the Christians who took care of the sick.  Everyone else had run away in fear.

• Are you ready to be the ones who serves in the midst of a crisis, chaos and the possible challenges of the fall out from this September?
• Are you thinking beyond yourself and family to how you can be a light shining on a hill for the world to see?
• Are you listening to God more than you listen to the voices on the internet or the people around you?
• Are you choosing to be in faith rather than fear?

My prayer for all of us is that we will rise up in faith and courage, no matter what this season will bring.  May it be so!

PS.  I’d love to hear from you if and how you are interpreting the mystery of September, and what choices you are making to be prepared for the season!

l