Things just ain’t what they’re supposed to be. Consider man’s violence against man, the animal kingdom’s survival of the fittest, or pollution poisoning our air and streams. And it’s incredible how the earth, with all its beauty and wonder, can become a destructive force against itself through earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and floods.
The Bible says, “The whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth” (nasb). There is a reason. In the beginning, before man sinned, everything was in sync. There was such peace on earth that people were vegetarians (Genesis 1:29–30). There was no killing of any kind. But now the earth has entered into a period that God likens to a mother giving birth, and like childbirth, things will get worse before they get better.
All creation longs for things to be made right, and one day they will be—the day when Jesus returns. It will be a time of salvation and judgment. Judgment will be for those who are not right with God; salvation, for those who are. His arrival will usher in a new age of harmony and peace on earth. Won’t it be great? If you’re ready, yes. If you’re not, no. The key question for you is, will you be ready? The only way to be ready is through faith in Jesus Christ.