Every now and then, we hear warnings of impending disasters. To support these prophecies, many quote Scriptures.

How often do we hear biblical prophecies tied to today’s physical disasters and even political events? Somehow these commentators believe they’ve unlocked the “secrets” of the biblical “codes” to reveal the signs of our times.

When Jesus lived, His listeners wanted signs of coming events, too! He responded with the “sign of Jonah.” Remember how Jonah was delivered from the belly of the whale and freed, preaching forgiveness? In offering the example of Jonah, Jesus seemed to be saying the only way to handle life’s uncertainties is trusting in God’s power to deliver us from every failure, mishap and disappointment. For Jesus, Jonah was the best sign of the times.

St. Francis de Sales supports this idea when he writes: “Never does our God leave us save to hold us better; Never does He let go of us save to keep us better; Never does He wrestle with us save to give Himself up to us and to bless us.”