Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The date for today’s Quay County Sun is Feb. 2. I like to and actually need to get an early start on my articles as it sometimes it takes me the full two weeks between deadlines to write them. So, when I started this article, the 10-day weather forecast predicted snow for today, which means our local equivalent of a groundhog didn’t see his shadow and go back into hiding.
I can recall when weather predictions were, at best, seven-day forecasts, and the reliability declined greatly after three days. But weather modeling based on historical records throughout the world has greatly increased the accuracy of longer-term weather forecasting.
Some predictions, however, have no basis for accuracy, particularly the timing of Jesus’ return and/or when the world will end, which will happen simultaneously (2 Peter 3:8-12). While some or most many people do not accept the facts of Jesus’ return, they do fear the world is coming to an end because of things like climate change and depleted resources, which is a reflection of the world wearing out like a garment (Isaiah 51:6; Psalm 102:25-27, quoted also in Hebrews 1:10-12).
It puzzles me that those predicting the end of the world, aside from God’s plan, in many cases, also believe prehistorical evolution took place due to catastrophic events, but I haven’t heard anything about the possibility of evolution happening again due to climate change. Because God will assure the world endures as long as he’s planned, we’ll continue to discover survival mechanisms, much like the groundhog running back to his hole when spooked by his own shadow.
While many have predicted Jesus’ return, Jesus, himself, said only God knows the date, which has been set and won’t change (Matthew 24:36-41; Acts 17:30-31). Life will continue as normal and, as Jesus said previously in Matthew 24:1-14, even wars, famines and earthquakes will happen as signs he’d be coming, but not that it would happen soon, much like the first contractions that actually give no indication of when the birth will actually occur. Many mothers might remember days of labor and all of us should understand that, with God, a day is like a thousand years and vice versa. So, we must be watching and expecting his return at all times by faithfully serving him (Matthew 24:42-51; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Regarding whatever our local equivalent of a groundhog did today, whether he saw his shadow or not, the outcome is the same — winter will end on March 20 if Jesus doesn’t come back first. My pocket calendar narrows that down to 11:33 a.m. I don’t know how they can be that exact in their prediction, but it’s probably based on long-term records of the lunar cycle. I do know that, based on the fulfillment of all of God’s other promises, Jesus will come back exactly when God has decided and I plan to be ready whenever that is (Joshua 23:14-16; 2 Peter 1:3-11)! How about you? Will you be ready?
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at