When I am busy, as I have been recently, one day starts to blend into the next. And from the people I have spoken with on this topic, I am not alone. The days just run together and sometimes, it is even difficult to remember what day it is. I get up, work, return home, have dinner and start the routine over the next day. Of course, the week-ends are a little different in that we attend church and do chores around the house, but the big idea here is that life has taken on something of a monotone quality. And I’m not really used to that.
It’s true that I write my post each evening, and on Thursday I prepare for and then teach Bible study in our home, but other than that, and week-end church, my spiritual life is a little dry right now. Something tells me that some of you may feel the same way. While it bothers me that I need to spend more time in the Bible, other things keep getting in the way and recently I was convicted that things need to change.
You see, Jesus admonished the Thessalonians they they shouldn’t be idle while they were waiting for the return of Christ. And there are numerous places in the Scriptures that speak about the future. We call this apocalyptic literature and it centers around the idea of eschatology – better known as endtimes theology. And while I don’t fit into the category of being idle, Jesus was quick to point out that we should always be aware of the return of Christ and we should maintain a vigil looking for Him. Inherent in this reference is the fact that we should live each day as if Christ was returning right away. Who knows – maybe He will return tomorrow, or even tonight…
The verse for this evening is from the Olivet Discourse in the book of Mark, telling us about the return of Jesus. We are told, in Mark 13:32-33, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come.” That’s the kind of advice I need to hear – and recalibrate myself to be more sensitive to what Christ would have me do day to day.
My encouragement this evening is that God wants us to live our lives expecting His return. This means that we should live a God centered life each and every day and that we should live each day as if it is our last. That sounds a little morbid and I don’t mean it that way – I mean that we should be reaching out to others and worshipping God constantly. My prayer is that you will persevere and re-dedicate yourself to watching for the return of Christ. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…