Month: February 2023

There is no “morning after” for those outside Christ

Woman standing on the balcony welcoming the morning sun

I heard an interesting song on the radio the other day. It was called “The Morning After” by Maureen McGovern, all the way from 1972. Good songs are good songs regardless of the era, but that is not my issue. This song and many others like it insist that better things are ahead once we can push through the present pain or difficult situations we are in.

For the Christian, this is true. To quote the apostle Paul, Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NKJV).

No matter how difficult our present circumstances, what awaits us in eternity will make everything pale in comparison. There shall be no more weeping, sorrow, pain, sin or despair, only everlasting joy and contentment at our Saviour’s side. So for the Christian, there is indeed a morning after.

For those without Christ, however, they are “without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12) and not only in this world but also in the afterlife. No matter how much the song insists, “There’s got to be a morning after/If we can hold on through the night,” the reality of the afterlife without Christ is just the opposite. The Bible uses terms like “outer darkness” (Matthew 22:13) and “blackest darkness” (Jude 13) to refer to the ultimate destination of souls that persist in sin and unbelief until their deaths.

So which one will it be for you? A hope and a future and a glorious morning after? Or eternal regret and darkness? Eternity looms closer than we may know. “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 4:7) Repent and put your faith solely in Jesus Christ today!

Passing Thoughts…

I am not sure what title to give this or what it is even about but it is almost 11pm on the 18th of February 2023 and I could not really sleep as thoughts of Christian Atsu swirled in my mind. His lifeless body was recovered today which was not the news that any of us wanted to hear. I do hope at least that despite the pain of loss, it brings some measure of closure to his family so they can properly grieve his passing.

I have read articles and seen videos about his kindness and generosity through all the philanthropic works he would do and I am grateful he got the opportunity to do all these.

A couple of years ago, I wrote about the Christian’s response to the Coronavirus (read it to get some context) which sought to explain the state of this world and how believer’s should process such occurrences and again a few days before this earthquake I posted a series of verses from Matthew 24 about the signs of the end. Alas, something like this was on the way. Definitely not a ‘prophet’ as these are written down by the Lord to help us understand each day and situation as it comes.

My thoughts have recently been on these verses spoken by Jesus in Luke 13:1-9

13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had [a]mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it [b]use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 [c]And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2013&version=NKJV

What Jesus is saying here is that everyone has been given time and space by God to repent and turn to Him for forgiveness because it is only in that state that we can bear fruit that is pleasing to Him.

In every disaster, pandemic or pestilence, both believers and unbelievers will perish so this is not to suggest in any way that those who died in the quake were all unbelievers but rather that everyone will leave this earth one day and the question is will fruit be found in us? He uses the reality of physical death to prompt us about the reality of spiritual death without repentance and faith in Christ.

Thankfully, this does not need to be your situation Dear Reader!

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16-17 (Biblegateway)

God desires to give us life, true everlasting life that cannot be interrupted by even a disaster. Whether we die in whatever circumstance, provided we are in Christ, we are safe. What stops you from turning to Him right now?