When nature tells a story.

     It's been raining for many days off and mostly on.  So much so that tiny hills of earth are appearing on my lawn.  The earthworm is making it's way to the surface above the saturated soil so that it doesn't drown.  For the earthworm it's a lose-lose situation.  Stay underground and die (only to be eaten by the moles that infest our yards) or come to the surface and be eaten by hungry birds.  Neither death can they avoid.  Such is their dilemma.  Gophers are weather predictors.  When they begin to plug their holes you know rain is coming.  They will unplug the holes when the storm is over.  My dog isn't putting on much of a thick coat this fall.  It's a sign that we won't be having a bad or lengthy winter.  Some birds that are normally safe in the south are staying around.  Just another sign that winter won't be difficult.  Several of my trees and bushes are budding out when they should be hibernating.  My Rhodys have bloomed twice and are struggling to bloom a third time and it's December.  Nature tells a story.  Sometimes the story mystifies us.  In the Bible we find many Scripture references to nature and the signs.  There will be increases of earthquakes and foul weather signifying the process of the end times.  What does nature tell you?
     I've been confused when there were no clouds and bright sunshine with raindrops falling on me.  Where did they come from?  I have woken to find daylight actually dark and foreboding forcing me to turn on my headlights to light my way.  Growing up on the farm we planted spring crops and then found them covered with snow.  So it is with nature.  The weather forecasters have the chance of being right 50% of the time (or less) and actually get paid for that low success rate.  In the Pacific Northwest we say "If you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes and it will change."  Indeed, the weather changes all the time.  Revelation talks about these signs of nature as the pangs of birth of the new and with that comes death of the old.  We are told that there will be a "new" heaven and a "new" earth.  There will be 1000 years of peace but only after the Rapture and the Battle of Armageddon.  Change will be across the board.  There is also a warning to all in nature.
     Jesus tells us that this and that will  happen and yet the end will not come.  There will be wars and rumors of wars and yet the end will not come.  Child will be turned against parent and parent against child and yet the end will not come.  No one knows the day or the hour of when Jesus will return and take his people home.  So much time has passed since Jesus walked on earth amongst us that people don't believe in the signs that he would be coming back.  At first the early church looked longingly for the return of Jesus to deliver them from their world.  That didn't happen.  People have been setting dates and times based on nature, world evens and even Scripture only to be fooled into believing that the end will be here.  The wave of wanting the return of Christ comes over and over as unwise men proclaim their unwise truths.  No one knows that day and time except the Father.  What we are supposed to be doing is the Lords will on a day by day basis.  He can come at any time.  When Jesus was born, walked on earth, died and rose again over 600 prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled.  There are prophecies that have been fulfilled since that time but still the end hasn't come.  Why?
     God would like all men to be saved so he tarries in his return.  Maybe it's you?  Maybe it's a friend or relative that doesn't know Jesus.  We just don't know.  What we do know is that regardless of the distraction of life going on all around us that Jesus wants us to keep on doing his will until he does return.  Nature has been telling the story for ages and yet the end hasn't come.  Don't find yourself in the position where you do nothing because you perceive nothing being done to hasten the Kingdom of God.  There is an urgency with which nature unleashes herself upon the earth.  There should be an urgency with mankind to spread the Gospel while he tarries.  You and I don't know the day or the hour of Jesus' return.  Let's be found doing what he wants us to do instead of sitting on our butts and doing nothing.  And yet the end hasn't come.