If Jesus announced he was coming to your house today -what would your first thought be? Would it be, “Oh, no! The refrigerator is empty and there is nothing to serve him?” Would it be you couldn’t remember if you’d made the bed or taken out the trash? Are we ready to invite Jesus into our messy lives? Don’t you think he already knows how we live?
Today’s reading reminds us that Jesus is coming again, just like he said. It’s not our place to question when, because “the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief.” Once we are able to stop worrying about the “when” we can begin to put all of our focus on being ready. God is being patient because he doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed and wants everyone to repent.
If this is the case, it might be a very long time before he returns. Across the span of time, there have always been disobedient people. Some on purpose, and some out of the ignorance of not knowing God. When you don’t have a relationship with God and truly appreciate that connection, it’s hard to want to live your life to please him.
What does your relationship with God look like? I saw a great post the other day. Imagine if you said to your spouse or your child whom you love, “I’m only going to talk to you before meals or if I really need something. And, I’m only going to spend time with you for about 20 minutes a day, and 90 minutes on Sunday.” Ouch! I don’t think my spouse or child would feel very loved, do you?
So what about God? We say we love him. He commands us to love him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. 250 minutes per week is pretty measly considering there are 1440 minutes in a day! How can we do a better job of spending time with him?
When I think of the Lord’s return, a thrill runs through me. What a glorious day that will be. Verses 11 and 12 here say, “Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along.” What we perceive in this world will be gone. What we see around us now is only temporary. We need to be hurrying this along with anticipation and joyful hearts.
As we prepare for a move from one house to another, I look at the “stuff” we have accumulated since arriving in Mexico, and, of course, the treasures we brought with us from the U.S. It’s all going to pass away on the day of the Lord and be replaced with a new heaven and new earth. I’m all for hurrying this along so I don’t have to move it all again! But my anticipation is much deeper than that. We have a promise we can rely on and a future we can look forward to with passion and great expectation.
Realizing this may or may not happen in our lifetime, we are called to live a godly life to be ready. In our own readiness, we can encourage others and bring them along with us. God is patient and doesn’t want anyone to be left behind. I see that as a tap on the shoulder reminding us to be recruiting folks into eternity. God will do the heavy lifting, we just need to point them in the right direction!
Let’s pray. Father God, I thank you for your patience with me. I know you have promised me such a beautiful future with you. May I do my best to prepare during this life you have given me. Make me open to your leading. May I see those in need of your touch. Guide my steps, my words, and all I say and do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
