Day 2341 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Isaiah 13:11 NIV

We think we've got it all figured out don't we? We make our own rules so that we never break them. We do as we please because it fulfills every selfish desire we have. We put others down to make ourselves feel more important. We lean on things like hatred and strife because humility and understanding just can't coincide with arrogance and pride. We've made a hobby of disagreeing and fighting with everyone because we're convinced that our opinions are truth and anyone who says otherwise just has to be wrong. We've made this world our playhouse and filled it to the brim with every sort of evil and sin that we can come up with.

I've lived in sin. I've made every mistake known to man. I've been the worst of the worst, the lowest of the low. I have done things that have separated me from God. I have chosen to be like the world instead of trying to be like Christ. I've traded morality for immorality. I've hung out in the darkness, but seeing life through the gift of salvation, I just don't know why anyone wants to stay there. I don't know why our world is okay with filth and depravity. I don't understand why we think that doing things our way will somehow make things better when throughout history we've only seen otherwise. I just don't see how ignoring the very real danger of sin and living this carefree life can ever be what's best.

Now I like to think that I try to see the best in everything. I try to stay positive and upbeat because life is miserable and hard and this world is spinning out of control. So I do my best to keep my head above the surface of insanity. But it's also impossible to ignore all of the wickedness that has consumed and redefined the way we live. It's impossible to not feel the friction that comes from being kind in a very hateful world. It's hard know that there is compassion, humility, kindness, mercy, peace, and every other good thing available to everyone through God's love, and see the world continue turning away from all of them.

As we talked about yesterday, God will not put up with this nonsense forever. He's destroyed the earth and everyone in it before. He's wiped the slate and hit reset because of our sin and evil. He has seen all of our vile deeds, knows all of our wicked thoughts, and will not compromise with our selfish way of living. At some point, Christ is coming back and all of the darkness in our world will meet His light. Questions will be asked and answers will be given. There's no avoiding it. There's no silly little excuse that we can come up with that will help us. Evil will be punished and the punishment it will receive is truly miserable in every way.

So many fear death, but on the day when Christ returns those who have lived in sin and rejected His call to repentance will wish for it. Death has this sense of finality, and that would be far better than the eternal suffering that awaits those who never come to know Christ because it will not end. Friends, I know that our world makes all of this out to be fun and games. Do as you please. Ignore the consequences. Focus only on yourself. Live to fulfill every desire your heart craves without considering if it's right or wrong. But as much as they may try, this world cannot redefine right and wrong. We cannot overturn His final judgement. We cannot argue with His truth. So while many will live these lives thinking otherwise, I implore you to not follow them down that path.

Things may get worse, and in fact the Bible tells us as much. We will find ourselves drifting further and further in the other direction from where the rest of the world is going. We will feel more strange, alien, and disconnected. We will stick out more and more and be judged more harshly for our faith and our decision to follow Christ and live according to His truth. So be it. Please don't bend. Don't cave. Don't let the world pull you back in. God isn't playing around and we can't afford to live like He might be. Sin may be good enough for this place but it will never be acceptable in His sight. So we better get to leaving it behind and live the rest of our stay doing our very best to please Him rather than anyone else, ourselves included!

#LeaveNoSoulUntold