Scripture Scribbles: November 16, 2025
the Gospel
Luke 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here--
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
the scribble
“We’re in the end times,” my friend warned, “and we need to be prepared.” Theresa often listened to modern-day prophets who spoke of “powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues … mighty signs from the sky.” She believed these were signs of the last days. She reviewed a list of staples—firewood, bottled water, warm clothing, flashlights, candles, rice, and canned goods—as though I were preparing for a long-term power outage. As she continued, I wondered how prepared my soul was for the final encounter. Matthew Kelly reminds us that Judgment Day is when the person you are meets the person you could have been. I shuddered at the thought.
This past week I went hiking/camping with my son Joshua on Doubletop Mountain in Maine. We encountered a moose and enjoyed the warmth of a campfire, but the greatest challenge wasn’t the hike—it was the hour-and-fifteen-minute drive over a rough dirt road. I insisted on hugging the right side, while Josh urged me to stay in the middle. Pride got the better of me, and our bickering ended with me shouting, “Would you just let me drive the damn car!” Not my best moment. By grace, my Judgment Day was not then, and we escaped without a flat tire.
Other memories of missed opportunities surfaced, times I failed to love sacrificially, to become who God created me to be. Whether the end times are near or not, my spiritual preparation must continue. “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Today’s devotion was written by Karen Molvar
