However,
no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels
in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don't know
when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! The coming of the Son of Man
can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left
home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do,
and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch!
For you don't know when the master of the household will return—in the evening,
at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don't let him find you sleeping when
he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!
Mark 13:32-37
Last day of
June…half the year has gone by…only 177 days until Christmas. What are your
milestones during the year? Easter, Memorial Day…your birthday…Summer Solstice,
4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day…Christmas Day? Whatever day
is important to you, the best is yet to come! That will be the day of Christ’s
return…but we don’t know the hour or the day. We aren’t meant to know and this
is the fourth warning that Jesus gives…be alert…keep watch. Don’t fall asleep.
Remember the disciples, Peter, James and John, who went to the Garden of Gethsemane
with Jesus on the evening of the Last Supper. Jesus told them to watch and pray…but
it was late at night, they were full from a wonderful Passover Meal…and they fell
asleep while Jesus prayed. See Matthew
26:36-45 and Mark 14:32-41. Just like His
disciples, Jesus warns us to stay awake.
So what is so bad about going to sleep? We all need rest and we can’t possibly
stay awake 24 hours a day. So rest when you can…but when you are awake…be on
the alert. Be ready because we don’t know the hour or the day. Does that mean
that we live only to wait for Jesus’ return? No…but we aren’t to waste our time
with meaningless activity. Then again…remember Solomon’s evaluation of life…
I observed everything going on under the sun, and
really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14
Is life meaningless?
That is something everyone has to decide for themselves. In the meantime…life
goes on. There is sunrise and sunset…just as they sang in “Fiddler on the Roof”…
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following
another
Laden with happiness and tears….
The years fly by swiftly…so
quickly that they begin to melt into one another. Watch and pray. Stay alert. Time
will go by before you know it…and you’ll be resting with the Lord. Waiting…waiting…waiting.
One side of the grave or the other. Waiting for the time when the dead in
Christ will rise first. Will that be you?
Prayer
~ Jesus, we are watching and waiting. Simply waiting…for Your return. Hopeful
that more people every day will believe in You as their Lord and Savior. Come
quickly Lord.
Daily
Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 19-23
© 2018 Text and
photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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