Earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars–though no one knows the day or the time, there are signs all around that point to what the Lord Jesus talked about in Matthew 24:6-7.

For you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places…

As I was reading the news headlines this morning; Major Earthquake in New Zealand/Libya Bombs Citizens/Oil Prices Soar/Turmoil In The Middle East, along with other news of what is happening in our own land, I was reminded of the words of a theme song, This is My Father’s World, that Patricia and I wrote some years ago for the International Baptist Convention’s retreat in Interlaken, Switzerland.

The quiet beauty of a forest, the flowers awakened by the sun,
The majesty of snow-capped mountains, the myriad colors of the dawn.
The twilight spell when day is ending, the voice of nature joins in song,
Do you know where it all began? To whom does all of this belong?
THIS IS MY FATHERS WORLD!

But, midst the good of God’s creation we see the evil caused by sin,
The threat of war and man’s rebellion, will peace and justice ever win?
We hear the wail of little children who starve and very soon will die,
Held in the loving arms of one whose eyes have no more tears to cry.
IS THIS MY FATHER’S WORLD?

At times we may just feel like quitting, the work gets harder every day,
For greed and hatred keep prevailing as man continues on his way.
Take hope, the story is not ended, the final chapter’s still to come,
Lift up your eyes, pull back the veil, God still is seated on His throne.
THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD!!

ROMANS 8:22-23–‘We know that all of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

In the meantime, as we wait, we must never lose sight of the fact that: THE CROSS IS BARE, THE TOMB IS EMPTY and THE THRONE IS OCCUPIED!! Hallelujah!