Soap Boxes and Stuff

Any of you who know me well rolled your eyes at the title, I know. I tend to get all soap boxy over many things. But, here's my new one............End Times. No, I'm not talking about the Pre-Trib/Post Trip debate either. I can honestly tell you I don't really know which of those I believe in (alright, some of you will start commenting on my post right now giving me reasons why one or the other is true). I've heard arguments for both, and they both seem sound. The thing is - I'm not totally convinced it matters. Yes, it matters that He is coming back, but does it really matter who is on the right side of the debate when He splits the eastern sky? See, if I am living my life the way I am supposed to live my life, it doesn't really matter if He comes back now, when I've already passed through this life, or if I pass through the tribulation. I am not living for the End Times. I am living for the life which is to come.


In the past few days there's been a post making it's way around FaceBook that goes something like this, "Sept. 11th (NY) Jan. 11th (Haiti) and March 11th (Japan)..... Luke 21:10-11 Then Jesus said to his disciples.. "Nations will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. Jesus says for behold I come quickly... So ask ur self r u ready?" Or there is the inevitable "Will you repost?" 


I'm not saying that the fact that these tragedies all occurring on the 11th is not interesting. But, look how many events occurred on April 19th (Waco, OKC Bombing, Columbine). My point is simply that while these dates seem eerie to me, they don't prove much else. Jesus says in Matthew 24 that the signs of times......among them are earthquakes. So, yes, I think we are in the end times. Does that mean tomorrow? Does it mean next year? In my life time? I don't know.....not sure how long the beginning of the end lasts.


But, here's the thing.....we ask people "R U ready?" like they need to get their 'Get out of Hell Free Card.' My question, mostly to myself, is "Am I ready?" 


Am I living like this life is what it's all about or am I living like the life to come is what it's all about? Does my everyday life make an eternal difference to someone? It's so easy to get caught up in so many things that in the end won't matter at all. I want to live my life in a radical way - refusing to care about my reputation or earthly position. I want to be undignified in my own eyes. God can do big, miraculous things and I want Him to use me to do it. Eternity is not some day yet to come. Eternity is now and the way I live is making an eternal difference to someone - but which eternity is that?