it's near

Yesterday I was sitting with my family and we were talking about how insanely stressful and hectic life is. We do that a lot. I think it was my dad that brought up the passage in Daniel that speaks of the End Times, and how much it applies today. It's glorious yet chilling:

Daniel 12:1-4

1 "At that time Michael shall
stand up,
The great prince who stands
watch over the sons of your
people;
And there shall be a time of
trouble,
Such as never was since there
was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people
shall be delivered,
Every one who is found
written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep
in the dust of the earth shall
awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting
contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the
firmament,
And those who turn many to
righteousness
Like stars for ever and ever.
4 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many will run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

The words, while wonderful, are terrifying. Will i be counted among the wise, or the righteous? Will i shine forever among those the Lord has lifted up?
How prideful that sounds...

Verse 4 speaks of the increase of knowledge. Note that wisdom is not what is implied. Knowlegde apart from wisdom is utterly and completely useless. And that is what this world is pursuing. Terrifying? Yes. Terrifying to the point of my becoming afraid of the Day of the Lord's coming? Not at all. The terror is that of anticipation. More expectancy than foreboding; the kind you feel when you know something amazing, something awesome is about to happen and there's nothing you can do to stop it...not that you'd want to. In the same way i can fear the Lord, I can be terrified of the end days. But that doesn't mean i cannot anxiously await and hope for them!!!