I have been there in hospital rooms when people die and I have been there in hospital rooms when people are born. They enter this world and they leave this world in the same way.
Pain.
As my wife entered labor when it came time for our first daughter to be born I witnessed pain in another human being that I had never seen before. I saw my wife scream and it was very hard to watch. Labor pain is brutal. And at the height of her pain, at its brutal climax, Sandra's screams turned to sighs as she and I wept for joy at the Doctor's announcement that we had a little girl.
One time I was called to the Hospital where I witnessed the death of a Christian woman who loved God and the people around her so well. As her soul prepared to leave her body and enter the realm of eternity I saw her labored breaths grow less frequent as she struggled to breathe. And as her granddaughter told her to let go I saw her eyes look past us into eternity and at the height of her struggle, at her pain's summit, she crossed over to the other side and was born anew in God's presence. Her old, tired body gave up her spirit to the keeping of Jesus.
In both cases immense pain preceded immense relief and joy.
Paul wrote this in Romans 8: All Creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to this very moment. And we believers are also in immense pain for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.
Jesus Himself said that as the end approaches there will be threats of more war and political upheaval and the earth and its weather will scream in pain with earthquakes and famines. But he said "Don't panic, these things will take place but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation but all this is only the first of the birth pains with more to come." He also said that sin would be rampant and false teachers would be popular and the old ways of love for God and people would be unpopular.
As Labor Pains become more intense and closer together the birth of new life is on its way quickly. As we see the political upheaval, super storms and earthquakes all at once I can't help but think this should make us think. All summer there have been historic, town-evacuating fires in our province. In one week - Harvey. Irma, the biggest storm recorded. Two Hurricanes behind Irma. A massive Earthquake in Mexico. South Asia under water in widespread flooding. Maria devastating Puerto Rico. A madman driven by demonic rage mowing down people with machine guns in Vegas. North Korea and the USA still posturing against each other with two men with Jupiter sized egos at the helms.
Kinda makes you go "Hmmm"
One of the names for Jesus in the Bible is the Rock. He said that whoever builds their life on Him will survive the storm. If the news isn't making you think then you are like a child who has his eyes tightly shut thinking that no one can see him or an ostrich who has its head in the sand.
This world is aching. It is screaming in pain as its end approaches like the sound of a coming train on the tracks. The new world is just around the corner. Whether it is one week, month or year or ten years away we do not know. All I know is that this pain is a megaphone that Jesus is speaking through, trying to to tell you that He loves you and is here for you to run to.
You can build your life on Him. He is the rock. It is the only way to be doomsday ready. Only your pride and your chosen blind eye can prevent you from this offer of love from the One who endured immense pain and suffering and let the destruction fully hit Him on the Cross so we could be saved. These storms and earthquakes aren't the final ones - yet. They are the beginning of labor pains. Jesus took the final destruction on Himself so it wouldn't land on us.
When David wrote: The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and they are saved. This is exactly what He meant.
Come to the Rock. Build your life on Him.
And you will have nothing to be afraid of.
