The 22nd named storm in the Atlantic this season took the unprecedented name "Alpha" as we already ran through the other names selected for the year. This follows a devastating earthquake in Pakistan, which was itself close on the heels of Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Southeast Asia. All these natural disasters coming together has an apocalyptic ring to it. It is hard not to be reminded that Jesus will be earthquakes, famines, plagues, dreadful portents and great signs from heaven at the end of time.

Perhaps I see events this way because I am leading an 8-week study of the book of Revelation, but the end of the world is coming. From the earliest days of Christianity, we have taught that Jesus is coming back. His return is imminent, which means it could happen at any time.

As a teen, I tried to read and make sense out of the Book of Revelation and its strange and terrifying imagery like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who come leaving death and destruction in their wake. Then there were the seven churches, seven stars, seven lampstands and the 666 of the beast. The 144,000 redeemed from Israel and the dragon and the moon turning to blood and on and on, the imagery compounded my confusion and fear.

The painting of the rapture that was a fixture of my teen years showed Jesus appearing in the sky and people drawn to heaven to meet their Lord leaving behind car and airplane wrecks and empty graves. I tried not to dwell on those images, and to think happy thoughts of life in heaven.

But heaven sounded boring and it was the fear of being left behind that stuck with me. I couldn’t quite hold on to the vision of the joy of being united with Jesus. I was too obsessed with the terrifying thoughts of life on earth after Jesus’ return.

In time I came to trust that Jesus had it all under control and that was good enough for me. I long since made peace with the Revelation to John and find it comforting now.

I also discovered along the way that from a Gospel standpoint the End Times have begun. The time we find in scripture for the beginning of the end came that first Easter Sunday morning sometime around the year 30 a.d. when Jesus was raised from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection was the beginning of the end.

Jesus’ resurrection was the beginning of the end of life as we know it on earth—the end of tears, the end of pain and suffering, the end of dying. Jesus was and is the first born of the dead and his own resurrection shows that human flesh can be reborn to eternal life. Jesus’ resurrection marked the beginning of the end of the age.

Jesus assured his followers that an end is coming to all the chaos and problems of this age, but in the meantime, he will be present in all that happens. Jesus never promised a life without pain, suffering and loss. Jesus taught that he would be present in that pain, suffering and loss. Jesus promised to be with his followers in whatever they may face. However you picture Jesus, whatever image is comforting to you, also picture that that same Jesus is present with you in your heart when life turns tough.

Isn’t that what you really need anyway? When you think about it honestly, are you more concerned with when Jesus will come in glory or when he will come into the problems of your life?

Sometimes I want to pray, “Lord, if you are coming soon anyway, come before this person gets the results back on the biopsy. Come before that person has to go through chemotherapy, or this couple’s marriage breaks apart. Come Lord before this teen has yet another friend stab them in the back, saying mean things to others only to act like their friend when they are together. Come quickly Lord before all these things happen.”

Of course, that sort of prayer is all wrong. Jesus taught that he has already come and by the power of the Holy Spirit he is present still in the class with the teacher you think has it in for you, at work with the boss who won’t give you a break or the co-worker who drives you crazy. Jesus is already here in the marriage that is falling apart and in the frightening news you await from the doctor.

When we pray “Come quickly Lord Jesus,” it should not be an invitation for Jesus’ to come back in glory to make all our problems go away. Instead we should pray “Come quickly Lord Jesus into my problems and my pain.”

Jesus’ return in glory is not a get out of problems free card. Then how does this doctrine of our Lord’s return help us? The answer is that Jesus let us know that life will get tough, even for his followers, but in all of those terrifying circumstances, we are not to be afraid.

Our lives, our world, our present, our future are all in God’s hands and we should grab hold of that comfort rather than the fear of the unknown. The Second Letter to Timothy puts it this way, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7).

Jesus put it this way: There will be wars and insurrections, nation will rise against nation, and there will be earthquakes, famines, plagues, dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. These things must take place. But in all these things be not afraid. The end of the world is coming and those who follow me are gonna be just fine.

(The Rev. Frank Logue is pastor of King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland.)

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