Dear Disciple,
“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants 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. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 12:35-40
Do you long for the appearing of your Beloved? As sweet as our fellowship with Him is through the nearness of His Holy Spirit who abides in us, there is a great blessing for those who “love” or “long for” His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). There is so much promised to us that will be fulfilled when our Master returns to earth from His heavenly throne, putting down all His enemies and finally bringing the new creation to its completion. As citizens of Heaven, we “await a Savior from there” (Philippians 3:20). His second appearing and all that will result from it is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).
As much as the thought of our glorious and precious Savior’s return thrills us, it should have another effect on us as well: motivation. So much of our Rabbi’s teaching about His return was focused on the need for readiness, and His apostles had the same emphasis when they wrote about it. If He’s coming soon, at a time we do not know, then we must be ready now. Readiness means faithfulness in doing His work and investing in His Kingdom estate so that He receives more from us than what He has entrusted to us. Readiness means living “holy and godly lives” and making “every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and peace with Him” (2 Peter 3:11,14).
As comforted as we can (and should!) be by the thought of our ultimate salvation and homecoming, we can also find great empowerment and drive in it. We can be awakened from any worldly stupor we are in, shaken so that we are clear-minded and sober-thinking. We can move forward into this new day with renewed purpose and vision because it is another day we can use to invest in the eternal Kingdom of our Father. What future does all of this earthly stuff have? Dust and ashes. What we do for our Master and His Kingdom will last forever. Yes, the promise of His return is the promise that brings all things into clarity and brings perspective like no other. Live in hope and focus today, dear Disciple!
Living in light of His return with you,
Ryan