The World Doesn't End?

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark the sacred times, an the days, and years, . .” Genesis 1:14

Doomsday predictions overturned? While I do not ascribe to astrological predictions, even those of ancient civilizations, I did take notice of the 2012 Mayan predictions. I did not do so because of them, but because I felt 2012 marked a significant new season for the world. I saw 2012 as the beginning of a new age and 2013 even more so. It seemed appropriate that a people group dedicated to times and seasons would also make note of a seasonal change, a change of one era to the next.

Most of the time historians do not recognize eras until after they have come and gone. Then terms are ascribed to them such as The Middle Ages, or The Enlightenment era. But with 2012, we have a preformed concept that the world has entered something altogether different, even though we have yet to have the benefit of history to validate the foresight.

Now, the latest news has it that archaeologists  have uncovered a previously hidden Mayan calendar that calculates dates as far out as 3500A.D. I had already felt that the Mayan prediction was for the world to take notice, and now to find new data after the world is already deeply engaged in this mystery is extremely timely. Now we see, from the Mayans' themselves, doomsday was not their prediction, but a something so new they gave clear demarcation of it.

It is too soon to know, but I wonder if there is anything on this newly discovered ancient calendar to indicate a difference between the calendar that ended at 2012 and this one that continues beyond. If they truly were specialist in times and season, I would not be surprised, and yet amazed, to find that there are distinctions between the calendars.

We are in a new age. Many things are changing. Many things are coming into what they have long been built into. Meaning, things that were built on a solid foundation will begin to excel like never before and the things that were built in corruption will begin to be obviously corrupted either by crumbling or by persisting in visible corruption. It won't be life as usual.  

More on 2012: 

Helium: 2012

Helium: Prophetic Insight Into 2012

Helium: America in 2012

Remnant Ministries Article: Moving Forward in 2012

Remnant Ministries Article: 2012

Worship

I read an interesting article from the June edition of National Geographic.  The article conveyed that there is a new theory which is a major shift from the traditional theory about when religion arose in early civilizations. The traditional theory is that the nomadic hunter-gatherers settled down for purposes of agriculture, developed community, arts, and then religious worship. The religion was believed to be a construct of necessary social development to maintain class structure and the morality of the community.

However, archeologists have discovered a religious temple with no signs that it came after civilization, but before and then the society organized around it.  Worship preceded a society, rather than developing out of a society.  The writer was of the persuasion that a supernatural world was a man-made construct serving man made purposes, but the archeological theory was interesting none-the-less.

It would seem that we could agree that humanity has been poised for worship since the beginning of our existence.  Even those who would see themselves as having no religious or spiritual interests can be found singing with their hands out stretched at a concert.  Others relish the outdoors with a spiritual adoration.

Interestingly, it seems that many (not all) atheists are also very interested in Buddhist spirituality. This way they can have the benefits of spiritualism devoid of the religious tenants and theistic beliefs they disavow.  Most it would seem will allow a place for spirituality as long as Western religious tenants are not interwoven in the package.

Worship is birthed out of our desire to connect with something greater than us whether we direct it to God, a celebrity, nature, or a favorite pass time.  We also thrive on community. We want to connect with people. It’s in our nature to be communal, but we just can’t seem to get close enough to a human to satisfy that desire for meaningful connection.  Often relationships fail to work because people are seeking more than a human can give.  This is why a strand of three cords is not easily broken, but two cords often cannot handle the strain of seeking what can be only found in the missing cord in the other person. 

Worship draws man out of himself into connectivity with God.  The depths of man can connect with God in a way that it is impossible to connect with another human.  When we replace that God connection with a human we have an unhealthy relationship.  We seek intimacy, and we can find temporary fulfillment of that desire, but eventually all that is available to us to find connection fails to fulfill the desire.  We think it is the other person and for a time we reach a new high with a new person, but again we fail to attain because we have worn through the experience and are again in search for something more. 

Worship is the act of man which brings about that spirit to Spirit connection we so desperately need and awakens our being to His Being.  Worship comes in many forms, not all of them are a matter of singing and dancing.  Worship is also giving, and loving, and doing that which God has called you to do.  Obedience to the call of God is an act of worship. But even these things cannot take the place of physically exalting God through some form of expression.  Cry out to Him and He will draw near to you.