“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.—Matthew 24:42-44 (NLT)

Last week I was out-of-town for four days. Thankfully, my mom seems to be adapting, so I wasn’t receiving multiple phone calls from her. It was a much-needed break. However, as soon as our plane landed on Thursday, I hit the ground running.

After I unpacked, I went straight to my mother’s assisted living for something they were sponsoring called, Dementia Live.  As soon as I finished with that, I went up to her room to take care of some things for her.  

Once I got back home, I popped my trunk and unloaded everything. After I started my wash, I remembered I hadn’t shut the garage door. Without looking, I pressed the down button (do you see where this is going yet?) and heard this metal crunch! YIKES! Please don’t tell me I just did what I think I did. Yep….a nice big crease across my rear door from where that garage door landed.😳

Near tears, I called my husband. As soon as I started to tell him what happened, he said, the garage door hit your car. Did you break the glass? I said, well, I guess it could have been worse. The glass isn’t broken, and I can shut the rear hatch. I thought to myself, there has to be a blog post from this situation. Not sure what it is, but God will reveal it to me. I had no idea what I was going to write about this week, but it has been heavy on my heart to share and urge others to share the Gospel to our unbelieving world.

When I woke up Friday morning, still feeling sick about what I had so aimlessly done to my car, my daily Bible reading was, in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21:5-38 titled, Be Alert. While not being alert to my surroundings, did damage to my car, I think about all of the lost souls who will have eternal damage for not just denying Jesus but also making fun of Christians grounded in their faith.

Even more concerning to me are Jesus’ responses to His disciples in the passages I read that day. When they asked Him when the end of age will be and what signs would be given for His return. Jesus told them in Matthew 24:42-44, Mark 13:33-37 and Luke 12:35-38 that they (that means us too) needed to be alert because only our Father in heaven knows the day/hour it will happen. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!”—Mark 13:33-37

Jesus’ words to us are very clear. As believers, we need to be on guard. It isn’t important to know the exact day of Jesus’ return but to focus on who we are called to be as His disciples. We live with an urgency to let others know who He is and how He can change their life. We pay attention to who God puts in our pathway.

Currently we are seeing many of these signs mentioned in scripture. In Matthew 24:12, Jesus tells us, “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” Luke 21:10-11, He continues, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” As we face these things in our own times, we can see Christ’s return is growing nearer and nearer.

God’s wrath will be poured out on those who reject Christ. Even though we may not know when Christ will come back, those of us who believe, do not fear that day because we know the God who does know when that day will come. In the meantime, we remain vigilant in sharing who Jesus is with those that may not know Him.

It is easy to get preoccupied with life letting things distract God’s mission for us. Now more than ever, we stay alert and ready waiting for the return of our Lord and Savior.

Father God,

Forgive me when I let distractions keep me from being alert to Your nudges. With morals and values declining in our society, I know how important it is to lead others to Jesus, so they still have time to repent and turn to You to receive eternal salvation. I ask for boldness to talk about Jesus with someone that does now know Him. I lift those up to You who are living in fear with what us happening in our world. Lead them to Your disciples who can tell them about the life saving Gospel that will save their lost soul. I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

November Verse

"Therefore, be alert, because you don't know on what day your Lord will return.” –Matthew 24:42 (GW)

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