36“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,f but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:36-44)
Thoughts: Jesus again is saying that His coming will not be expected. He infers in this that it will be a long time in coming. If it were just a week or even a year after He was raised. Jesus not only says (vs. 14) that the Gospel will be preached to every nation (which will obviously take a long time), but also people will not expect His coming. They will be going about their business.
Jesus point is to live our lives with hope and expectation. There are certainly worse ways to live our lives (with no hope and just in a rut). We are called to "keep watch" or "watch and pray." As a watchman watches for the sun to come up- knowing that it will but also wanting it to come so that clarity of vision is gained- so we wait for The Son to come.
To live each day with diligence, not wasting it, but also with the hope that God may open the door into our lives each moment does not destroy life. It makes a rhythm of rest necessary- but over-rest useless. It makes wasting our minds and our lives a waste of time. To know that God may meet us soon might mean we might love deeper, care for people as if they were people, and an awareness that the One who loves us but also is holding us accountable is watching.
Tim McGraw has a good country song, "Live Like You were Dying." Perhaps if we expected more we would not live less- but live kinder and with more hope and purpose.
Jesus point is to live our lives with hope and expectation. There are certainly worse ways to live our lives (with no hope and just in a rut). We are called to "keep watch" or "watch and pray." As a watchman watches for the sun to come up- knowing that it will but also wanting it to come so that clarity of vision is gained- so we wait for The Son to come.
To live each day with diligence, not wasting it, but also with the hope that God may open the door into our lives each moment does not destroy life. It makes a rhythm of rest necessary- but over-rest useless. It makes wasting our minds and our lives a waste of time. To know that God may meet us soon might mean we might love deeper, care for people as if they were people, and an awareness that the One who loves us but also is holding us accountable is watching.
Tim McGraw has a good country song, "Live Like You were Dying." Perhaps if we expected more we would not live less- but live kinder and with more hope and purpose.
Prayer: Come Lord Jesus. But come now into my heart and help me to live begtter for you.
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