I plan on doing my laundry on May 21, 2011.  I also plan on going to my son’s graduation on May 27th.  I plan on celebrating my 32nd anniversary on June 2nd, my husband’s birthday, June 29th; going on holidays end of July and celebrating my daughter’s sweet sixteen birthday at the end of August.  I plan on visiting my grandbaby for Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct. 10) in Louisville, Kentucky and when I get home, I plan on helping my youth group fill 50 or more Samaritan Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes (an event we’ve done for years at our church around Halloween).  Yeah, and every week I’ll still plan to do grocery shopping, house cleaning, car pooling, and more laundry.  Every day I’ll load (or unload) the dishwasher, plan what to make for supper and set about doing other menial everyday tasks with a minimum amount of grumbling and complaining.  And knowing that my nature is to grumble and complain I will find strength every day as I spend time in the Word, prayerfully going before the Lord and then go about doing my daily tasks as we are instructed to do until Jesus’ return.  “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”  (Luke 12: 35-36)

Now what’s so special about me doing my laundry on May 21st?  Well, it’s supposed to be the day of “Rapture”….well, at least to a Rev. Harold Camping who claims to have studied scripture for well over fifty years and has pinpointed the day of Christ’s return.  The day of rapture for the followers of Christ will be May 21st and those left behind (unbelievers) will face a massive world-wide earthquake that will eventually lead to the earth’s ultimate destruction on Oct. 22.  Camping has so convinced his followers of this date that many have sold all their possessions and they are spending their remaining days telling everyone they know to prepare themselves for God’s judgement.  Repent and be saved they say before it’s too late.

When I was in San Diego a month ago there were huge billboard signs put up all around the city like this one:

Now can I fault their message?  No, scripture is clear that Christ will one day return.  The problem is that no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return.  Scripture is clear about that as well: “But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven , but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36 NKJV)

Should we be preparing ourselves for Christ’s return?  Absolutely.  As Christians we are called by God to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone so that “none should perish”.  (2 Peter 3:9)  I will admit I am not an evangelist.  I don’t pound on doors or raise billboards to get the Message out.  I write.  I have lunch with friends and I live so that others (hopefully) will see the Light of Christ living in me.  My hope is when people ask me, I have an answer that sparks conversation and I am able to share my love for the Father with real people, who see a real person (me) living in the real world, facing real heartache and real pain at times, but plugging on because I have a Saviour.

I don’t know the day of Christ’s return, according to 2 Peter the “Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy (set apart) and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” (2 Peter 3:10-12 NIV)

How should we live?  “…since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.” (2 Peter 3:14)  I live expecting God to return on any given day at any given time.  I don’t want to be surprised by His arrival, I want to be ready for His arrival.

It means keep on keeping on.  If by some obscure chance, Camping has somehow cracked the code of Christ’s return and the day of Judgement is indeed May 21st, let me be found faithful on that day as in all the days leading up to that day and all the days after.  And if that day comes and goes without God’s glorious reappearing (as I suspect it probably will), I plan on doing my laundry on May 21st because my family will still need clean clothes for May 22nd.  Just sayin’………..

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9