(Matthew 24:42)…..Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Continuing from yesterday’s devotional, “as in the days of Noah”, where the people were caught off-guard. The point our Lord makes is that they did not know until the flood came, there was no sense of any coming disaster, there wickedness continued on – despite the preaching of Noah for one hundred and twenty years, warning his generation that God would judge the world for their sin. And despite the familiar sight of the huge ark that was built a long way from any ocean large enough to float it men/women must have laughed and mocked Him. But life went on as usual and the first sign of any coming disaster was the quiet, almost unnoticed removal of a select company from the world of that day. So the Lord says the “parousia” (the coming) will be as a thief in the night. Jesus Christ will come without warning, and a select company will be removed from the earth (24:40-41).
The event will be highly selective distinguishing even between two people working side by side (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). It is an event that is simply not explained in natural terms (but there can be no questions about the clear language of Scripture) as Paul told the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Listen, a cataclysm of unprecedented proportions is coming upon this world. The only way to avoid these events is for men, women, boys, and girls to place their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Notice carefully that Jesus says, “if the householder had known when the thief was coming he would have watched and prevented the robbery.” That is, if a man knows he is to be robbed at night, and knows the very hour in which it will take place, then he will be ready for the burglar when he comes. No burglar sends a notice ahead of time of his arrival, but if he did he could count on being met by a reception committee, because when the robber arrived the householder would have been ready.
But, since you do not know when your Lord is coming, then keep ready all the time. Be ready that is the Lord’s commandment for us. Surely that does not mean we are to gaze skyward all the time. But Watch! What does he mean (Luke 19:13) (John 8:31-32)? The intensity with which we love His coming is the result of experiencing His presenceThat is the hunger you may feel to see his face is directly proportionate to the present enjoyment you have of his presence
If, the thought of his 2nd coming is a frightening thing, then you know little or nothing of his presence now. But if you do know what it means to live by Christ, if moment by moment with your whole being you are taking from him all that he makes available to you, then you you will find a longing, a yearning in your heart for his personal coming Author Unknown
- If there was ever a time when the church needed to take the Gospel in to the highways and byways and compel people to come to it it is now! A terrible judgment is coming on this world , only those who have heard and heeded the warning will be spared. Are you sure that you are ready to meet Him? Are you sure that you are doing all you can to sound the alarm and warn others of the dangers ahead?