While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, -Luke 2:6
When I had my kids, I had two C-sections, one unplanned and one planned. With my first child, we were told the approximate due date, and even though I kept telling myself there was only a 1 out of 20 chance the baby would come on the actual due date, throughout the nine months, that was the day I held in my mind that the baby would likely be born. And then that day came and past, and I was in day to day anticipation, "Would today be the day?" And even when I was far enough past my due date that they induced labor, for the next 26 hours, the questions were, "Is the baby coming yet?" and "How much longer will these birthing pains last until this baby is finally born?"
My second child, the planned C-section, was, as my son would say, "easy-peasy, nice and squeezy". I knew the day, the time, we had a baby sitter lined up and my husband had work already scheduled off. We knew he would be born about 8:30 in the morning and he was born at 8:26...almost like clockwork.
It's interesting that several times in the Bible the time period leading up to the second coming of Christ is referred to as "birthing pains". Just as Mary experienced birthing pains prior to Jesus being born the first time He came to earth, in the end times the whole world will experience birthing pains leading up to Christ's triumphant return. And while there are Christians and non-Christians alike who attempt to pour through scripture so that Christ's second coming can be planned, like my planned C-section was, Jesus tells us that no one will know the exact day or time, and, like my first C-section, we'll see some signs, but we will have to wait in eager anticipation not knowing when Christ will come again.
Many people ask, "Are we in the end times?" and the answer is a definite yes. Does that mean the world will end any time soon or that it will end in our lifetime? Who knows. Regardless, we are seeing signs of the "birthing pains" all around us and the following is a sermon I recently heard given by a pastor in South Carolina that was the most Biblically sound explanation of how current world events line up with what Jesus said about the end times.
End times Sermon
So, as we celebrate this time of Advent, the time leading up to our celebration of Jesus' first coming, keep closely in mind that we are living through a second Advent right now, the birthing pains leading up to Christ's second coming. As someone I know recently said, "Keep your eyes on the skies." Think about what preparations you want to make for Jesus' second coming. Do you know Him well enough that you will recognize Him when He comes? Will He recognize you? What can you do to grow your relationship with your Lord and Savior? (Hint: prayer and scripture play a huge role in your relationship with Him!)
When I had my kids, I had two C-sections, one unplanned and one planned. With my first child, we were told the approximate due date, and even though I kept telling myself there was only a 1 out of 20 chance the baby would come on the actual due date, throughout the nine months, that was the day I held in my mind that the baby would likely be born. And then that day came and past, and I was in day to day anticipation, "Would today be the day?" And even when I was far enough past my due date that they induced labor, for the next 26 hours, the questions were, "Is the baby coming yet?" and "How much longer will these birthing pains last until this baby is finally born?"
My second child, the planned C-section, was, as my son would say, "easy-peasy, nice and squeezy". I knew the day, the time, we had a baby sitter lined up and my husband had work already scheduled off. We knew he would be born about 8:30 in the morning and he was born at 8:26...almost like clockwork.
It's interesting that several times in the Bible the time period leading up to the second coming of Christ is referred to as "birthing pains". Just as Mary experienced birthing pains prior to Jesus being born the first time He came to earth, in the end times the whole world will experience birthing pains leading up to Christ's triumphant return. And while there are Christians and non-Christians alike who attempt to pour through scripture so that Christ's second coming can be planned, like my planned C-section was, Jesus tells us that no one will know the exact day or time, and, like my first C-section, we'll see some signs, but we will have to wait in eager anticipation not knowing when Christ will come again.
Many people ask, "Are we in the end times?" and the answer is a definite yes. Does that mean the world will end any time soon or that it will end in our lifetime? Who knows. Regardless, we are seeing signs of the "birthing pains" all around us and the following is a sermon I recently heard given by a pastor in South Carolina that was the most Biblically sound explanation of how current world events line up with what Jesus said about the end times.
End times Sermon
So, as we celebrate this time of Advent, the time leading up to our celebration of Jesus' first coming, keep closely in mind that we are living through a second Advent right now, the birthing pains leading up to Christ's second coming. As someone I know recently said, "Keep your eyes on the skies." Think about what preparations you want to make for Jesus' second coming. Do you know Him well enough that you will recognize Him when He comes? Will He recognize you? What can you do to grow your relationship with your Lord and Savior? (Hint: prayer and scripture play a huge role in your relationship with Him!)
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