In the last days

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good," 2 Timothy 3:1-3 NIV

In a startling and upsetting article published by the Culpeper Star-Exponent on July 13, it was reported that a teen male suspect was in custody following a daylight attack Monday afternoon on a young woman running along the nature trail at the back of Yowell Meadow Park in the town of Culpeper. The victim, a 20-year-old female, has been running in the park for years, said her father in a phone call Tuesday. She fought off her attacker and ran away for help. “She’s as good as she can be … for all of us, it’s surreal. We are happy she is still here. It could have turned out a lot differently,” the father said in conversation with the Star-Exponent. The father asked not to be named to protect his daughter’s identity. The young woman suffered bruises to her neck when the man strangled her after pushing her to the ground, he said. Elvis Natalio Simon Roca, 19, of Culpeper has been charged with robbery and strangulation in the incident. He is being held in the local jail without bond eligibility. Based on the investigation, it was determined that the victim was exercising at the park when she was approached by Roca. After a brief interaction, the victim continued to jog. Roca followed the young woman and physically assaulted her, robbed her and then fled the area on foot. This attack was unprovoked and there is no connection between the victim and the suspect, police said.

And you know, just a few years ago you and I might have been shocked at hearing that a woman out for a run had been attacked in broad daylight for no reason other than to be assaulted and robbed, but not anymore. One look at today's news will tell you that we are in the "terrible times," times Paul warned Timothy would come "in the last days." And just as Paul said, people around the world are indeed "without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal" and, as this story shows, "not lovers of the good..." And while this should most definitely incite us to be on our guard against evil, it should not cause us to fear it. Why? Because we know that the Lord is on our side. 

So while it is definitely important for us to be on high alert to avoid physical harm, the most important thing for us to be on is a mission to share the Good News with the lost. You see, that's our main priority in this life and something we must be doing with all our might until the Lord returns or calls us home. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for warning us of the terrible times that will come in the end days. Your Word clearly tells us that it will not be pleasant but your Word also tells us that we have no reason to fear what man can do to us since we will inherit eternal life. Help us to be brave and bold as we set out to fulfill the Great Commission knowing there's no greater thing that we could ever do... especially as the end times draw near. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!