“’Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.’” (Luke 12:35–36, NIV84)
We may not know when Jesus is returning, but we know that He is returning to take us home. The fact that we don’t know when should not affect our readiness for His return. Jesus calls us to be dressed and ready for service. A servant, or a soldier, must always be ready for duty. One cannot afford to relax, or worse yet, to live like the master is not going to return or that the soldier will never be called into battle. A servant will be called to serve because he is a servant. A soldier will be called into service because he is a soldier. We will be called home to heaven and must live every day like it could be today.
As Christians we must live out our daily lives as though Jesus could return today. We must work, worship and serve in a spirit of preparedness and readiness. We must be busy doing kingdom work even while we live and work in this world. We should constantly be looking up to see whether Jesus is returning. We should anticipate it as a servant would anticipate his master’s return or a soldier his orders to deploy. What do you anticipate today? You’ve already thought about work, relationships, children and responsibilities for the day. But have you thought about what your life should be like in all those areas if Jesus were to return today?
Be ready! Anticipate His coming! It could be today!
Peace!
Pastor Tom
www.firmlyrooted.church