Another look

My mind has a tendency to wander at its own pace, and wherever it chooses; sometimes I am even surprised at where it can take me. This morning’s Bible reading took me into the twenty-first chapter of the gospel of Luke. What an interesting chapter…the disciples asked Him what they should be looking for when the end time would be.

But for me, the impetus, that caught my attention was verses 34 through 36 as I read them in the New American Standard edition:

34. Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation {The act or state of being dissipated; mental distraction; excessive indulgence in luxury, especially drink or vicious pleasures. Noah Webster} and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap; 35. for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36. But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.

My mind reminded me of my discussions regarding dispensationalism. The gospels were written for Jewish Christians, yet, Jesus is recorded as saying, “It will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth”. That apparently eliminates the idea of the gospels only being directed to the Jews. Funny, as I read the five books of Moses, I see the idea that God is more than willing to incorporate non-Israelites into the Israelite family, provided they will voluntarily relinquish any and all allegiance to foreign gods: of course they could never attain to the priesthood, but they were allowed all the other privileges available.

We are, today, in the dispensation of “Grace”. I understand that to mean, that we are not responsible for any sins we may commit, because the Blood of Jesus has forgiven all our sins, past, present, and future. Yet, here, practically in the same breath Jesus tells His disciples, and the entire world, to be on guard to not let their hearts be weighted down with the three most popular reasons for existence in this postmodern world. So, how do we answer Jesus at this point? I will be the first to admit that only God knows who is going to be saved for eternity; and only God knows how much our dissipation, drunkenness and the worries of this life, hurt God.

Finally, Jesus commands that we keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that we may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. I am of the mind, that if we are keeping on the alert and praying, at all times, we are going to have less of an opportunity to relish in dissipation, drunkenness, or the worries of life. And I believe, therein lies the beneficence, or efficaciousness of Grace: for in that state we are going to be less distracted by anything, and definitely more involved with building and deepening our relationship with Jesus Christ. As we become closer to Jesus, building our relationship through prayer, we know that He knows us, and that gives us the strength to stand before the Son of Man. It is always good to have a close friend, when you move to a new place.