Just How Bad Does It Get?

"Youth today. Going to ruin in a hand basket." It's a line from the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie. While it's meant to be funny in the movie, it came to mind recently. I have to wonder if today I would be the old lady saying it. Perhaps it's just my current study of the book of Revelations that has influenced this thinking.

But the other night I had the opportunity to watch The 700 Club for only a few minutes and my stomach was sickened at the news of the widespread problem of child prostitution in Brazil. I don't watch the news often enough to know if it's happening in other countries. I do know I haven't heard of any story like this being presented in mainstream news. You have to ask, how many other dreadful things are happening? 

The fact is most of what I see is news focused on wars and rumors of wars. You know, the building of nuclear weapons in Iran and North Korea, the threats to Israel and the U.S., the awful drug-related shootings along the border with Mexico. (So many innocent lives are being lost there. It's just craziness.)

So, when I think other things could be happening one question comes to mind, are we the only country that has people losing their minds enough to go into buildings and shoot at the innocent for the strangest of reasons, or are there other countries dealing with this? It makes me think of the second seal in Revelations 6. (Again my current focus may be playing into this.)

And while there is so much talk about the rapture occurring at the start of the tribulation I beg to suggest, what if we are already there? One might ask, isn't God suppose to spare his children of the earthquakes and plagues? But then I remember all the plagues the Hebrews had to endure before they were released from slavery in Egypt. It didn't harm them but they still had to endure it. Nuts. I guess this means we may have to endure the seals after all.

But on the other hand, if we haven't entered the tribulation times yet I have to wonder. . .just how bad will it get if this isn't the start of the tribulation? If it's not bad enough yet, how bad is it going to get?

In any case, the best thing we can do is to keep our eye out for the bridegroom. Keep our hearts praising him and seeking his guidance every day. I love reading Psalm 91. It offers so much promise of protection from plagues and illnesses that attack the crowds. It brings me comfort.