When I was a kid, every once in a while I would hear in church from my elders that the end of the age was imminent. “Yeah, right Grandma. They have been saying that for a few thousand years now and nothing has happened.” I like all my friends dismissed that as old people just fearing the end of their lives and trying to scare us into obedience.

Well, now I am a grandpa. So, am I afraid of the end of the world? Is the end of the age imminent? Is it my desire to impose fear onto my children and grandchildren for my own peace? I don’t know about you but it sure seems like Luke 21:11 is becoming more descriptive of the times than ever before. I questioned some college kids I teach about this recently and their response was, “Yeah, we hear that a lot, but Christians have been saying that for centuries.” They perceive the advancement of technology informing more people than ever before, so it appears worse, but it is just because we now have better access to information.

Things haven’t changed much I guess. Us “older” folks sense a world of impending disaster, and the younger ones are optimistic about their present situations.

“And He answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you, for many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the Christ’ and will mislead many. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes.”

Just an old alarmist I guess. Just showing my age I guess. I know that time is not in our hands. I know that there is no one that knows when the end of the age will come. When I was young I imagined what the world would be like in 100 years and I believed it would be  a better place. Given the last thirty years can you imagine the world being a better place in 100 years? Given the last five years…given the last three months:

Isis…Ebola…Russia…HHS… Entervirus D-68…China…Chikungunya…Iran…H5N6… 68…China…Chikungunya…Iran…H5N6…Nigeria…Fukushima Radiation…Somalia…Afganistan…HIV…Madagascar…Vibrio vulnificos…Egypt and on and on it goes.

Makes me wonder….