The milk in my fridge has an expiration date of May 29, yet I bought it anyway. I have hotel reservations for my quick trip to Mt. Rushmore next week, and reservations for Annual Conference in Springfield, MO the following week. I paid my credit card bills before their coming due dates. I went to Costco today and stocked up on some needed supplies. In other words, I am not acting as if I am convinced that the rapture will occur on May 21.
Or am I?
If we knew without a doubt that Jesus was coming back this week- or the next, or the next- would it change the way we live? After all, we are called already to live life abundantly. We are called already to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. We are called already to love the rest of the world as much as we love ourselves, and to love God most of all. We aren’t supposed simply to cram for a final exam, but we are to live and love that way right now.
And so I will be spending the days leading up to May 21 (and, I presume, on May 22 and beyond) doing what I usually do. My heart is with a family who is waiting with their loved one as his battle with cancer comes to an end. As a church, we continue to reflect on the amazing things that happened last Sunday for our churchwide “Change the World” day, and we will look for ways to continue some of the ministries that began that day. We have 5 baptisms in the next two weeks! I am working on the remarks I will make at preschool graduation tonight and tomorrow night, on sermons for the next couple of weeks, and even for a speaking engagement I will have in September. If Jesus shows up, unannounced or announced, the only way I know to be ready is to keep being faithful to the title “Christian.” And, for the many times that I fail to live up to that name, all I know to do is trust in the same forgiveness that I claim every day.
May 21 may begin and end like every other day, or it might not. That is not my responsibility to know. My only responsibility is to be faithful as best as I can, and trust God for the rest.
