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Pastor Doug Batchelor shared, “If we’re living lives of consistent surrender and obedience and looking for opportunities to share our faith, we won’t need to worry about the date on the calendar because we’ll be ready every day for the Lord’s coming!”
What’s the significance of the Lord’s coming for Christians and humanity? It is called the “Blessed Hope” of all believers in Jesus. It is the day that His promise to return fulfilled more than 2,000 years ago. Jesus provided specific admonition for all who looks forward to His return:
Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Matthew 24:42-44 ESV).
What does it mean to stay awake? Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary explained, “Our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not.” Simply, an anticipation of something big is about to happen that cause oneself to become mindful at all times. Paul exhorted the Corinthian church in this manner, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). Peter added, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Another attitude to adopt is to stay in constant readiness. Specifically, it is a reminder for believers of Jesus to be ready as Luke stressed, "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35).
Houses constructed of sun-dried bricks, mud, or loose stones, could be easily pierced and entered without forcing shuttered window or barred door. The significance of the parable is easy to see. The householder is the disciple of Christ, the thief is Christ himself, who comes on the unwatchful when and where they expect him not. ~Pulpit Commentary
Jim Bramlett posed an excellent question, “Does God gives clue?[1] Then, he enumerated the answers to this nagging issue:
· He gave Noah advance notice of when the flood would be in Genesis 6 & 7.
· He told Abraham how long the Israelites would be in Egypt in Genesis 15:13.
· He revealed to many people the very day of Elijah's rapture in 2 Kings 2.
· He told Jeremiah how long the Babylonian exile would be in Jeremiah 29:10.
· He told Daniel exactly when Messiah would come the first time in Daniel 9:25-26.
So, what should be done while waiting for Jesus? Allow me to provide some recommendations for everyone to implement as we wait patiently and enthusiastically for Jesus’ coming anytime. First, recognize that God is always in control. Often when it seems nothing is happening is when things happen behind the scenes. Habakkuk emphasized, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it” (1:5 NLT). Next, renew your faith in God’s constant provision. Waiting is not incidental to faith. Waiting is the DNA of faith as the Psalmist’s exhorted, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14, ESV). Finally, redeem your time while waiting for Jesus. Times of uncertainty and doubt are useful periods in which we can draw into God, hone our skills and prepare for the time when that big day comes as James stressed, “let patience have her perfect work” (1:4).
At night as Dr. Horatius Bonar retired to rest, his last action ere he laid down to sleep was to draw aside the curtain and looking up into the starry heavens, say: "Perhaps tonight, Lord?" In the morning, as he arose, his first movement was to raise the blind, and looking out upon the gray dawn, remark: "Perhaps today, Lord?"—The Dawn.
Let’s talk again!
