What Showed Up With You?

Oct. 9

Read: 2 Tim. 3:1-9

What Showed Up With You?

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty…” (v. 3:1)

We are living in “the last days”. I don’t say this simply because it seems like the thing Christians say, but because the scriptures tell us so. The coming of the Holy Spirit to rest upon all of God’s people marks the beginning of the “last days”:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…” (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28)

The coming of Jesus - The Son of God - marks “the last days” as well:

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things…” (Heb. 1:1,2)

So it is a biblical truth that we indeed are living in “the last days”. I don’t think anyone expected them to stretch on for more than 2000 years… but here we are! The question then becomes: “so what”? Why tell us that we are in the last days? What is this supposed to accomplish for us as God’s people? Should we be motivated? Encouraged? Discouraged? Happy or afraid?

The list of how depraved people can and will be in these last days is pretty discouraging honestly. When you read through it, it is as if Paul is just piling it on. In this we see a real biblical tension. How can these “last days” be marked by such a GOOD pair of things (the coming of the Holy Spirit upon us and the coming of The Son of God to communicate with us as his people) and at the same time be an environment of “difficulty” filled with such depravity? The good and the bad mingled together. Here is the truth: we could never survive these last days without The Son and The Spirit; yet their arrival coincides with the beginning of the end.

I actually think it is NOT the evil that makes “the last days” the actual last days… it think it is the opposite. I think it is the presence of God in the midst of it all with his people that sets the stage. You see, all those evil things have been haunting humanity since the fall of mankind. The evil’s listed out are not unique to the first century AD. A quick rad through the Old Testament will reveal horrors and depravity that make Paul’s list here in 2 Timothy look TAME. It is not the presence of these evils that should shock us, but rather the presence of God himself. For this reason we ought to be excited for these last days… and should be thankful that they have endured as long as they have. They are a picture of God’s LOVE and PATIENCE in that they represent many human years of God’s presence here in our midst in a unique way that gives humans ample opportunity to repent and turn to him. They are both difficult and good at the same time these “last days”.

Nevertheless, I think one of the important things to take away is that IT WILL NOT ALWAYS BE THIS WAY. This time will come to an end. There can be no “last” without an ending. God will one day put an end to the depravity and we as his people will experience The Father, Son, and Spirit in a world without all of the brokenness…. the distractions… the evil which wages war against God Most High. This too is s sort of “good news” about these being the “last days”. Who would have thought that “difficult times” could be such “good news”? There is no shortage of things to discourage us as the people of God - I know this is true. But instead of desperation, fear, or hopelessness let us be encouraged and driven that much closer and deeper into relationship with The Son and The Spirit whose coming is the real catalyst for the time at hand. God is calling a people to himself and using us to carry out his work in this world. He is a loving God who is patient, kind, and willing to forgive if one turns and repents to him. That being said, there will be an end. May our focus be The Spirit and The Son, not the difficulties! There are indeed better days ahead, and an end is in sight. Love you guys! - JDP