A day of many blessings, Father! What a joy it has been to be able to come up and spend some time with my family – another blessing as a result of Your gift of me being a school bus driver! I would ask that You would give us another productive day tomorrow. All praise to You!
Mark 13:1-37 (<<click to read the passage)
There are innumerable things in life for which we must be prepared – final exams, going out on dates, marriage ceremonies, heading off daily to work, the arrival of newborn children to our homes, the inevitable deaths of loved ones – and of course there are many, many more.
For the most part, we are prepared for those times in life. But occasionally we oversleep, we forget, something hinders us or we may be totally caught off guard. Of course, there are instances when we deliberately blow off important things for all kinds of reasons.
In the totality of today’s passage, Jesus is making it very clear that our days are numbered. “Heaven…will disappear.” “…earth will disappear.” Everything we know and understand will come to an end. He forewarns us – and He testifies that His “words will never disappear” – because He wants us to be ready!
Jesus gives us a full list of things for which to watch, as do the books of Daniel and Revelation. We are very clearly forewarned! The signs will be obvious to those of us who wholeheartedly follow Him. But we have one task and it is of utmost importance that we are diligent in bringing it into fruition! Jesus says in verses 36-37,
Don’t let him [i.e. God] find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I [Jesus] say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”
There are many people today – July 16th, 2019! – that strongly feel that we are in the last days! We have seen many of Jesus’ prophecies come true but there are many yet to come true. Don’t be lulled into believing that they will not! For they most assuredly will take place – all in God’s good time.
Again Jesus proclaims,
“Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!” v.23
“… when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door.” v.29
Lord Jesus, not a single one of us knows when that day will come but each of us has the responsibility to be ready for its inevitable arrival. And we are charged with making sure that others have every opportunity to be ready, as well. Enable us to be stalwart and true. Burden our hearts! May we burn with a consuming desire to share the only means of salvation from the looming conclusion to life on this earth. Amen.
July 16th, 2019, Tues, 9:21 pm
