The Signs of the Times

"Hypocrites, you know how to understand the appearance of the earth and sky, why don't you understand what is happening now?" (Luke 12:56).

Back in May I had the pleasure of listening to Leonard Sweet talk about semiatic awareness. "Hypocrites, you know how to understand the appearance of the earth and sky, why don't you understand what is happening now?" For some days, I was gainfully aware of the signs that were happening all about me, and I began to hear God's voice. But, as life moved in around me, I fell into what Sweet called semiatic breakdown, and I failed to listen to what God was saying. I almost missed the boat.

In Luke's gospel, an angel appears to Zachariah, and says "Zachariah, don't be afraid. God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son, and you will name him John. He will bring you joy and gladness, and many people will be happy because of his birth. John will be a great man for the Lord. He will never drink wine or beer, and even from birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God. He will go before the Lord in spirit and in power like Elijah. He will make peace between parents and their children and will bring those who are not obeying God back to the right way of thinking, to make a people ready for the coming of the Lord" (Luke 1:13-17). And, Zachariah has a semiatic breakdown.

"How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man and my wife is old too" (Luke 1:18). Zachariah, like me, had failed to see the signs all about him. It is better, says Eugene Peterson, to be silent than to weary God with skeptical questions. We are not responsible for figuring out how God will fulfill his promise; our assignment is to wait expectantly in faith and hope. Watch for the signs and listen.

You see, the signs are all about you. "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe"... (Ephesians 1:17-19). Open your eyes.

I do not know wholly what God is doing, but he has given us a house and he has renewed my interest in things Anabaptist; and I am not responsible for figuring out just what God is up to, I am responsible for waiting expectantly in faith and hope. God is not done yet. Something is happening here. I am once again filled with semiatic awareness. The signs are all about me.

"Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining. Be like the servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. when he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him. They will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that they were watching for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve and tell the servants to sit at the table, and he will serve them. Those servants will be blessed when he comes in, and finds them still waiting, even if it is midnight or later. Remember this: if the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to enter his house. So, you must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time when you don't expect him" (Luke 12:35-40).

Watch and be ready to move. "Don't fear. little flock, because your Father wants to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). God is in the house.