Just Like Those Days

By Jerry D. Ousley

            Ahhh the good ole’ days.  I remember when, don’t you?  When things seemed better, simpler, a bit more carefree. Those summer days when the retreating sun in the west meant that it was time to go home, eat supper (it was supper then), watch a bit of TV and off to bed, only to arise early the next morning and do it all again.  Yep, the good ole’ days.  I’m sure that you have your own definition of the good ole’ days.  The things you did as a child that fondly haunt your memories; they will never be again, just like they were anyway.

            I was reminiscing about my good ole’ days with my grandchildren.  They sat gazing in awe as I told them stories of how we would play in the woods all day without adult supervision and not be worried about child abduction and the like.  As I told them story after story, at the end of one, my oldest asked, “Papaw, why can’t we do those things today?”  I tried to explain how the dangers of today were nearly non-existent then.  But I could tell from the look on their faces that it was difficult at best to imagine.

            Jesus talked about days gone by.  In Matthew 24:37-39 He said, concerning the last days, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” 

            I’ve heard many interpretations of this passage as I’m sure you have too.  Some have tried to say that it means the wickedness of today equaled that of the days of Noah and they attempt to list sins saying that it was like that then.  Maybe it was.  But the more accurate interpretation is that it will be business as usual.  The daily activities of the times will go on as normal; banking, the factory grind, hot days in the foundry, hurried days in the office, giving brides away and men and women getting married; partying on Friday night deep into Saturday morning; church on Sunday.  Our daily and weekly activities quietly taking place.  It happens as it does every day. 

            Noah warned the people of his time that it was going to start raining, and rain until a flood covered the earth, they laughed at him, scorned him; made fun of him “It’s never rained before (until that time the earth was watered only from the dew that arose each morning), why should we believe you that it’s going to start?”  Still Noah worked, steadily and confidently building the big, box-like boat that God had told him to make.  Day after day, week after week.  Months and even years passed as Noah kept building and the people kept mocking, “how are you going to float that thing?  It’s miles to the river, how do you think you are going to get it there?”  Still, he kept on building.

            Then one day, after it was complete, animals of all kinds started showing up and walking on board the ark.  Most came in twos – a male and a female.  Others in sevens because they were clean animals fit for sacrifice to God.  All sorts of animals, wild, dangerous, creatures.  Meat eaters, plant eaters, some the witnesses had never seen before.  They calmly and harmlessly climbed on board the ark.   Still, it was business as usual.

            That is, until one day, after all the livestock had entered the ark, and Noah and his family climbed on board after them, and the big door to the boat was sealed shut.  Drip, drip – it came slowly.  Then it began to sprinkle.  “Hmmm, maybe we should have paid more attention to this guy.”  Before long it was pouring from the sky.  The dry earth began filling with water.  The rain lasted for forty days and nights, never stopping, continually coming down, until every living thing not on board the ark had drowned and the tallest mountain peak was covered.  It came just like God had said to Noah and Noah had preached to the people.

            And just as in those days, those busy, busy days, wherein life goes on and life happens, there will come a day.  Despite the seemingly nagging preaching of those who sound out the warnings that the day is coming, it will one day arrive.  A trumpet will sound that only those who are ready to board will hear.  Suddenly millions will disappear from the earth.  God’s wrath will then be poured down like a never-ending rain.

            Most of us have heard it all our lives.  Some have believed and live as though it will be today, and some have gone on with life like it will never come.  Perhaps they even believe so.  But, my friend, just as suddenly as the peers of Noah found water falling from the sky, the day Jesus warned about will arrive.

            Just like all those others you may have heard preach, I too am going to warn, don’t let it sneak up on you.  Be prepared.  Make sure you are ready, because my friend, just as surely as the flood came upon the earth (and there’s plenty of physical evidence to support that it really happened) the day will arrive when Jesus Christ will return for His people.  Trust me, you want to be one of them.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.