Years ago, I distinctly remember praying that I would live long enough to be taken up in the Rapture.  I was only a child, and my prayer wasn’t some great theological decision, but came from a fear of dying.  In my young mind, it was better to be snatched up than face unknown death.

While I’ve come to fear death less due to my faith in Christ, I’m still intrigued by the Rapture.  However, of late I’ve become aware of the price of being around to participate in it; a price I never really considered.

What Is Thought

It is speculated that life will be moving along as usual when the rapture occurs, and the Bible says as much.  It is also assumed that the event of the rapture will be part of, if not the catalyst to throw the world into its final chaos described in Revelation.  But the closer we come to that time, the more I see our world tearing itself apart.  It appears that God may bring the world to the brink of destruction before beginning the last seven years of tribulation.  I don’t fear for myself since my faith is in Christ.  But to see my own country, a country I have come to love and cherish, destroy itself over sin is heartbreaking.

As a student of prophecy, I’ve heard the question of the role the US would play in the end times.  No mention is made of the western hemisphere so the assumption is made that something will happen to cause the US to lose its place of prominence in world affairs.  I see two possible reasons for this:  the rapture occurs and so many folks are missing that the US falls as a superpower, or the US becomes so decadent that it destroys itself and disappears from the world theater.  As I view current events, it appears more and more that the second option is true.  And it is not easy to bear.

What We Had

Our nation was founded by men who had a belief and reverence of God regardless of their personal devotion, and no rewriting of history by self-serving liberalists can change that.  God has allowed America to become a leader in innovation, a bastion of hope, a purveyor of freedom to the world.  He has given us great wealth, and to our credit, we’ve shared that with others as well as spread the good news of His salvation.  He granted us the privilege of being His light in a dark world.  Now our self-indulgent pride threatens to destroy it all.

I pray for our nation.  I pray God allows us one more chance to repent of our sin and return to Him, but our time for that is running out.  Our transgression is great and our faithfulness is small.  Whatever happens, it will all be according to His perfect will, but I pray the time of His coming is soon.  “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”