"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:25-31)   God creates the heavens and the earth.  As death enters the world through Adam and Eve, the creation itself is cursed by God because of it.  Later, as God makes his covenant with his people in the Saini wilderness, the heavens and earth are called as witnesses to the agreement.  In the prophecy of the Old Testament, it is often noted that dramatic changes in the heavens and the earth will be signs of the day of Lord.  When Jesus is born, the heavens rejoice by revealing a new star in the sky to mark the occasion.  At Jesus' death, Matthew reports that the earth quakes, splitting rocks and tombs open.  Following Jesus resurrection and ascension, Paul reports that the whole of creation now waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  God created the heavens and the earth.  Sin and death impact not just our lives, but the whole of creation: the heavens and the earth.  Christ's redemption is also a redemption of not just us, but all of creation—all of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.  So it is not strange then that the second coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, should be accompanied and heralded by a great shaking of the heavens and the earth.  Will the sea and the heavenly bodies be shaking with excitement like a little puppy at the front door when a visitor comes?  Maybe it's just so. Obviously earthquakes strike terror into our hearts and certainly any funny business in the sky would do the same, but should these things happen in our lifetime, Jesus would invite us to close our eyes, take a deep breath and remember: all these things belong to him.  The heavens are his, as are the earth and the seas, for he made them.  And while their shaking will be an apocalypse for sure, it is not a revelation of our death, but of our life.  Apocalypse literally means revelation.  And what is revealed in these signs is best said by Jesus in his parable of the trees.  When you see leaves poking out, you can see for yourself that summer is near.  That's what we're seeing right now in these warm days as plants begin poking through the earth around our houses.  And it means that the death of winter has ended.  The summer season of lush and verdant life is nigh.  Just so: the impossible-to-miss shaking of the heavens and the earth will be the excited puppy dog promise that the King is returning.  As he comes on the clouds with power and great glory, we can lift up our heads at long last, for our redemption to life has finally drawn near. Maybe we'll see it in our lifetime and maybe we won't.  But let this picture from Jesus cut through all the dark and fearful days of this present moment and keep you living with purpose and faithfulness with heads lifted high until that day when he returns and redeems all things.     

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