This is just becoming all too familiar. The first reports, the death toll climbing every half-hour or so, the news of those who survived, grieving for those who did not. I first learned about the earthquake today in Chile from Twitter - from Alyssa Milano on Twitter, in fact, retweeting photo images from the New York Times. I jumped on Facebook and learned that several friends of mine have relatives in Chile; thankfully, all reports are good news so far.

As I continued combing through news reports, I discovered that there was also an earthquake in Japan this morning. Then I heard further news - the warning of an impending tsunami. I have just been looking at the images on the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center web site, and I see nations and cities along the Pacific coast that are now at risk: Japan, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tonga and many other place.

I had not yet had my morning devotions when I learned about the earthquakes this morning, so I sat down, as I usually do in the mornings, to read scripture and get my heart tuned to God.

I read some Psalms, then I turned to Matthew 24. Sometimes when I read scripture, there are things that cause the words to feel a little bit distant - talk of Pharisee and religious leaders in a culture different from my own, analogies using fig trees and mustard seeds, which I have had to learn the relevance of.

But this passage - Matthew 24 - feels like it could be a current news report. It's like Jesus Tweeted it a few hours ago to encourage us.

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?" And Jesus answered them,  "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. 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. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

- Matthew 24:1-14

As I read this passage, a few things jumped out at me - specific, practical instructions for Jesus's followers to take to heart in the face of yet another natural disaster whose full devastation has not yet come:

See that no one leads you astray.  There are many ideas about God that start flying when things like this happen. Some religious leaders in many faiths, including Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims, will look for "sinners" or people with bad karma to blame, believing that natural disasters are evidence of God's judgment or karma.

But the Bible teaches us that Jesus bore the full penalty for sin when he died on the cross. So we must not be led astray into assigning blame to any nation or people who are suffering from this disaster.

In fact, when some of his followers asked him about an accident that took place during his day - when the tower at Siloam fell and many were killed - Jesus was careful to point out that it was not because those who died were worse sinners than those who were spared. "Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3-5, ESV) The way I read this, it seems that Jesus is very specific: do not try to place blame for this disaster on sinners. Instead, worry about your sin condition. Repent of your sins and concern yourself chiefly with whether you are right with God or not. 

That is what this morning has become for me. A time to take spiritual inventory and ask myself this question: if an earthquake hit New York City today, and my house collapsed with me in it, am I ready to meet Jesus face to face?" Suddenly I realized that I have been living with practical apathy toward God. Not hungry for rightousness. Not grieving for those who are in need. Not praying for those who are perishing. This news from Chile and Matthew have served together as a wake up call. Christy, make sure you're ready.

See that you are not alarmed.  The last thing the world needs is religious fanatics losing their minds and freaking out about end times prophecy. Instead, let this be a call to prayer and intercession, to sacrificial giving to supply resources for those in need, and to faithful, loving, life-giving evangelism.

This is just the beginning.  Things are, it would seem, going to get worse before they get much, much better. Jesus said that things like earthquakes and wars are signs. Those of us who read and believe the Bible understand that the world is going to be renewed when Jesus returns, but a lot has to happen first. We do not need to fear, but we do need to be ready.

The one who endures to the end will be saved.  When I was in Nigeria with a small team of people from New Hope, my pastor, David Beidel, preached in every city we visited a message from this passage in Matthew. Bad things will happen, he said over and over. Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of many/most will grow cold, he said. But the love for Christ in his church in Lagos... Ife... Ibadan... Staten Island... New York City... will not grow cold. We will fan the flame of worship.

We need to tend a holy fire. Whenever we gather together for worship, whenever we read God's word, whenever we take time to pray and seek God's face, listen for his voice, we fan the flame. In the privacy of our homes - when we give ourselves over to scripture meditation during the first moments of the day, when we turn off something we should not be watching for the sake of guarding our eyes (the lamp of the body), when we phone someone to encourage her, when we make amends and ask forgiveness, when we set our hearts and minds on things above... we are fanning the flame.

The Gospel will be preached in all nations. I want to be part of that work. God loves people from every tribe and every tongue, Jesus died to pay the ransom for every image-bearer, from Iceland to Papua New Guinea, from Tokyo to Toronto and everywhere in between. God's good news of salvation through Christ is not something to be jammed down peoples throats, but neither is it something to be hidden away in the privacy of our home groups and church services. 

I support a Bible translation missionary, because I want to see God's word made known to more nations. I donate to several missions organizations, in fact, because I want to be part of spreading the life-giving love of Christ in places like Afghanistan and Ethiopia. I spend most Sunday afternoons with a group of friends eating in Little Sri Lanka and having edifying conversations with Hindus and Buddhists there, because I love them and I respect them and I want to learn from them, even as I hope to point them to Jesus, encouraging them to at least consider the things Jesus taught about God and how to know God.

How I long to see more Christians being part of God's mandate to make disciples in all nations.

As I continue to follow the news today, I continue to pray for the hundreds of thousands - possibly millions - who have been hit by natural disaster, or are currently waiting to see what comes their way. I also find myself giving thanks to God for another day of peace. While I do not live in fear, I am sobered by the thought that tomorrow, this could be us. This could be my house, my city.

Are we ready? More importantly, for me to ask, is, AM I?