End Time

By Guest Blogger: John Leckner

People have said for centuries that we are living in the “end times”. Of course, that statement is subjective to what the person’s belief in “end times” is, isn’t it? Some believe it will be the end of this world, others the returning of a “messiah”.  There are, of course, those who deny either side of this argument, believing the world will continue on regardless of any myths or legends. They believe that their destiny is in the ground or some funeral pyre where their mental cognition of this or any reality will simply cease. There will be no consequences for their actions here, there will be no reality, and there will simply be nothing. There is “no proof” of an afterlife, there is “no proof” of anything beyond what can be seen and felt.

There is a reality that all sides of this argument can grasp. That reality is the death that begins the moment we are conceived in our mother’s womb. What appears to be a new life is just cells multiplying to the point of forming another creature to enter this world. If the cells formation is not correct, the creature never takes it first breath. If the cells form in the right order, then the creature is born and takes the first air of this world into its lungs. But that first breath can never be taken again nor can any of the subsequent breaths. Once the air is taken in it is used up and expelled. The lungs have done their job; the air has done its. What was good for the creature to bring into it’s body, is used up, and gotten rid of, never to enter the body again. This process continues until these exchanges bring the creature closer to its ultimate end…death.

Along this journey from womb to grave, we take many breaths. It is what we must do to survive. This is another fact that cannot be disputed by anyone. All living creatures must breathe. When consciousness enters into this equation, we begin to take the simple exchange of air for granted and begin to strive for things and positions, rather than just survive air alone. We strive for food, another life necessity, but we strive beyond the survival it can secure us with intent of having better tasting food. We search for life giving fluids, such as water, but we strive for better tasting fluids, like colas and beer. We allow our consciousness to take us beyond survival; we strive for our pleasures beyond what is necessary for life. We seek to be “on top” of everything we can do, everything we consume, everything within the grasp of our consciousness. Some can deny this, but it is a fact nonetheless. The man wants to be desired just as the woman. The preacher wants to be the best preacher he can and the sinner sins with everything they have. It is for our satisfaction we strive in this world. No one is completely immune to this in one degree or another.

This idea is nothing new. There was another man that spoke of such things. In fact, there have been many men pointing out the flaws of the human existence; each one with his own “formula” to improve upon it. Each presenting the world with a new code of rules and laws to follow that would, somehow, make the world a better place to exist. There has been no law however, that has accomplished this goal. There has been no form of meditation, no ceremony, no book that has improved the world around us nor has it stopped the human consciousness from striving to fulfill it’s own desires to thrive. In fact, the rules and laws have oppressed far more than they have helped. What was given with “good intentions” has been corrupted like the air that we breathe in and expel. There has been no worldly peace, no stoppage of famines and disease, just continual war over what was supposed to bring us peace. The term given to this phenomenon is religion. But there was one man who spoke against it and he never promised peace in this world.

The fact is, this man promised wars and famines. He promised destruction, pain and suffering. He said we would be hated, mocked and even killed for following his example. He asked us to point out the rules and laws to others. He said many would not hear our words or even open their own eyes to see the truth. He proved that fact with his life, and when these things were done to him, with his death.

This man’s life was not given in vain however, because he did promise the world something. He promised he would take care of our every need, if we would stop trying to thrive for ourselves in this world. If we could accept that there is something beyond this world, and know that it is ruled by a king ready to love us more than we can ever love one another, then we can be set free from the bondage that thriving in this world has put upon us. The only other condition put on us from that point is to tell others that they can be free, not in this world, but in the next. Upon accepting this offer we become princes and princesses in His kingdom. We have no need for anything this world offers. We are royalty because we are heirs to the kingdom that awaits us in the next life. This is a fact taught to us by a King, who became a man, to show us the example of what true love is.

Everyone has his or her own ideas of what the “end times” are or will be. Some accept them with fear, some with rejoicing. The fact is we will all die regardless of what we accept or believe. I believe the “end times” begin at birth, and will continue until I take my last breath.  Until that time comes, I will fight this world and my compulsion to thrive in it. I will ask for forgiveness from my King when I betray His gift and disrespect His example. I will fight against this world’s goads to conform to it. I didn’t take my first breath as a servant, but I intend on taking every breath until my last, as one; so I can have my promised inheritance.