This past weekend, we rented a movie. One my son picked. It is called “Avengers Infinity War.” It’s about superheroes. But as my son would say, “Here’s the thing.”
To understand any of this movie, you would have had to understand or watched or experienced many other movies. And I’m talking many. My son suckered us in with one and then two and then it has become a thing with us. We watch the movies as something to do with him, but now we are hooked too.
It was fun to see Star-Lord interact with Thor and the Hulk land in Dr. Strange’s place. It was fun to see Tony Stark a character of great technology pull out an old flip phone. It was fun to see other familiar faces return or be introduced to one another. But it was also sad, Thor tells his brother “what a terrible brother he is,” which is totally true, but then his brother dies which is terribly sad. Thor loved his brother. It was fun to see jokes of haircuts and beards, and of Starbucks. Our new favorite quote in the house, “The better question is, why is Gamora?”
This really great movie progresses, and you have hope for a victory, and you enjoy it. Laugh, cheer, and then repeat. But it catches you off guard in the end. People you love die and quickly. Characters that you have laughed with and watched develop relationships with one another suddenly die. The battle seems lost. Totally lost. My son let out a giant, frustrated, “NO!” And the movies just ends.
Ends! No funny trailer like the way all the others movies have ended. It ends and with the terrible line that the villain will return. Again, UGH!
Frustration, disappointment, and a whole range of “What!?!?!?!”
We were very unprepared for the ending. We have no idea what the next step is. Our only clue is that the villain will be back. Really? Where’s the hope or a future in that?
Now, switch gears.
I had a pleasant conversation with someone yesterday. Over three hours, people! During one part of the conversation, I explained what will happen in the last days as in the Book of Revelation and the difference between tribulation and wrath. Believers will experience tribulation (afflictions, persecutions, distress) but they will not experience wrath (God’s judgment and vengeance). 1 Thess. 5:9
This person voiced that they hope they die before all of that. I voiced that I want to be a part of God’s plan and that I hoped to be caught up in the clouds. Two different perspectives of the exact same time frame. Is that wrong? No, just different.
This person is a believer but is not as prepared as they should be for battle.
Being prepared means more insight into what God’s is doing, and especially in the Book of Revelation. Coming to the battle in the position of wanting to be used, and to be battle-ready. A soldier may or may not be asked to step up to the battle-plate so to speak, but they are willing and ready and prepared to do so. The soldier never gets to “pick” their battles. That is done for them by the commander in charge of the battle. The soldier’s job is to be available, prepared, and obey orders. Training prepares you. The battle is the Lord’s (2 Chron. 20:15) and we are trained in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).
Sometimes it seems easier to not deal with something than to deal with it. Dealing with it takes a lot of time and effort, planning, and preparation. Training is hard! No one that has ever been through boot camp says that it was a piece of cake.
It boils down to “having a hope and a future” and knowing that His name is Jesus.
Non-believers are unprepared for the future, and they have no hope. They have no Jesus. They are the ones that will be devastated when the movie ends…wait…what?
Using the movie analogy, my son, my husband, and I watched the movie. We wanted our heroes to win. We always do. The good guys should win, right?! But we are not people who look up movie reviews on the internet. We don’t watch entertainment shows about this or that, and we were unprepared for the abrupt ending. We were so unprepared for the deaths of the characters, and the way that it ended that my son let out in sheer frustration, “NO!”
Why? Because it did not end the way “we thought it should end.” It did not fit our way of thinking.
That is the ultimate disappointment. We did not get “our way!”
That is how a non-believer in Christ Jesus will feel one day when all of the hardships are magnified in this world. And they will be magnified. They will be unprepared for wars and rumors of wars. Unprepared for famine and pestilence. Unprepared for the deaths of the people around them. Unprepared for those that will suddenly disappear from in front of their eyes and they have no idea where they are. That is when believers will be snatched away to meet Jesus in the clouds.
How unprepared?
So unprepared that they will buy their expensive cup of coffee that they sip while waiting for their other well-dressed friends to show up for a mommy’s date. Waiting for them while multitasking by holding their newborn and scrolling social media on their phone. Looking for a great new way to decorate their home or their hair or their upcoming event. You know, every day “everythings” that are so important. Unprepared for that suddenly missing baby in their arms as the baby clothes remain and the child is gone. Gone! Scream, frustration, the ultimate disappointment. “NO!”
“That’s not how it was supposed to be! That is not my way!” This poor woman does not understand or know Jesus in an intimate way, or she would be caught up in the clouds with Jesus and her baby. They would both have a hope and a future! In HIM!
Unprepared is not knowing how the movie ends.
Unprepared in not knowing how life will end.
Unprepared is not knowing how the battle ends.
Unprepared is not knowing who has the victory in the battle.
Unprepared is not knowing the victor’s name.
His name is Jesus!
Be prepared. Know Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Be prepared. Read your Bible. The end of the story is in there! (It’s even better than the movie!)
Be prepared. Deal with what you don’t want to deal with. God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness. Walk in the Light and let Him bring all that you don’t want to deal with into the light too. Expose it, heal it, change it, release it, and let it be redeemed! (Hint, it already has been, but you still see it as being in the dark.)
Being prepared is having a hope and a future, and His name is Jesus. His name means salvation. He is salvation, and we have the ending if we have salvation in Him.
May you be a seasoned soldier ready to be used by Him and for Him and bring others to Him by sharing Him today. Fight the battle by being in Him!
Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! – Shahe Nahler
I am the author of a three book series, all of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people! A journey to walk out with God and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!
- Book One (vol. 1) “Born Afghan Born American Born Again“
- Book Two (vol. 2) “Born Muslim Became Christian Beloved Israel“
- Book Three (vol. 3) “My Journey My Jesus My Joe“
All three books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into search “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.
You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.
My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!
Shahe Nahler 