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Mar 29, 2020 08:00am

Who Can I Turn to When all Hope seems Lost?

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For everyone paying attention there is a growing sense of fear and uncertainty spreading around the globe.

Earthquakes are so frequent they go mostly unreported. Locust plagues on a biblical scale are famishing Africa, Saudi Arabia and moving into China. The United States has been involved in a perpetual war on terror for nearly 20 years and rumors of war are constant.

Meanwhile, nations are closing their borders as cruise ships sit off the coast quarantined. People are wearing face masks while lining up to empty the shelves of toilet paper. Companies that sell emergency food supplies are experiencing 100 times their usual volume. And the stock market is in a free fall as fears of the coronavirus pandemic cripple the financial world.

Are you paying attention? Are you sensing this fear? Are you prepared for what is coming?

Reading the Drudge Report is like a verse from the Book of Revelations is unfolding.

“And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.” (Revelations 6:8)

Without a doubt we are in the end times. We have been for over 2,000 years. Ever since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who spoke about the signs of the end of the age in the Gospels.

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All of these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” (Matthew 24:7-8)

I was asked recently if I am preparing for the spreading pandemic of COVID-19, the coronavirus. The question of preparedness was in the context of stockpiling weapons, ammunition, food and water.

In general, I think it is wise to keep a cache of items tucked away in case of any emergency. But the truth is that preparedness starts on a more fundamental level.

For the survivor, this is generally referred to as mindset. Mindset is the psychology that drives those who consider themselves survivalists. It involves having a positive attitude, being mentally tough, finding a motivation that transcends yourself, a strong work ethic and adaptability. Without having the right mindset, all the survival gear in the world will prove ultimately useless.

But there is something that is more fundamental than a survivor’s mindset. It’s the answer to one simple question, “Are you saved?”

Facing the reality of a pandemic, the question of our mortality is inevitable. What happens when we die? What is the point of our existence anyway? Who can I turn to when all hope is lost?

No amount of survival training or preparedness can answer these questions. You can have the mindset of a Navy Seal and it will not matter. Death is inescapable.

But eternal life through Jesus Christ is possible and promised. Coming to a knowing relationship with him—it’s all that matters.

So, are you prepared for what is coming? How do you know for sure?

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:9-10

This is the most profoundly simple answer to all of life’s questions. If your mindset is stockpiling toilet paper in the face of a pandemic, you are doomed. But with Jesus Christ, you are saved.