End of the World?

I am so very grateful that I don't really follow the news all too much.
I know about the floodings and tornadoes happening around the US, and some other basic stuff such as the weather.
So I am a bit behind on finding out that the world was supposed to end on May 21, 2011, according to some elderly man with a religious following.
Indeed, it is curious to see how many people have "predicted" the apocalypse/end of the world, just to find out that they were wrong.
Jesus did say that there will be more and more people predicting and claiming great things, and that we should not be disturbed by it. But the bible also indicates that the closer we get to this end-time scenario, there would be more "crazy stuff" happening.
So now this same elderly man predicts the world will come to an end on October 21.
I wouldn't be surprised if God finally had enough and would decide to wipe out the world.

At the same time, He does not think the way we do, nor would He feel the way we do, nor would He probably act the way we do. And our concept of time, is exactly that: ours.
God Himself isn't obligated to any particular time, nor does He perceive time as we do.
Therefore does it really matter when the end of the world comes for us?

As crazy as the elderly man predicting the rapture may sound, but he is right: we should be prepared. It doesn't matter if you physically die by either getting hit by a bus, being swept off your feet by a tornado, drown in a pool, die of a heart attack or cancer.
You already don't know the day on which you will die, so what does it matter when the end of the world may take place?
Are you changing the way you live and view life because you know you will die one day, or are you still following your sinful habits, thoughts and ideas?
Are you still getting that hamburger although you know it is bad for you?
Are you still harboring grudges and negative thoughts about people who have hurt you or who may have pissed you off? Are you still unwilling to forgive?
Are you still going to enjoy the group meetings with other like-minded individuals with which you can then feel safe to gossip?

And you're doing all of that even though you don't know if this may be your last day today (because maybe tomorrow that bus is going to hit you, or the heart attack,....)
--> so who cares about the day of the rapture/apocalypse/end of world?

I think we should be thankful for such prophets as this elderly man. If anything else, he does remind us of what we ought to be doing....think and prepare for our eternal life.

What matters is the state of your heart and soul. Time is only relevant in regards to finding the time to ensure your heart and soul are in the state of grace. Any time we have here is for us. Since God Himself is not in need of time as we know it, we should be grateful for this merciful gift of His.
Because that's what it is: a gift.

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