Prayer
Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 61:2-4.
Lord, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
You are my Refuge,
a strong tower against every evil force.
I take refuge in the shelter of your wings,
and seek Your guidance in Your Word today.
Amen.
Reading
In this Age of Grace, Jesus wants us to keep ourselves occuppied with the task of extending His Kingdom, not to be preocuppied with exactly when the Age will come to an End with His return. He makes it very clear that no one knows about the day and hour of His return, “not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (v.36). So we ought not to waste time trying to figure that out.
Instead, Jesus yet again gives the key command twice. It is this:
42 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come … 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Keeping watch and being ready for Jesus’ return, is all about staying alert to the presence of Jesus and mindful of the importance of His return as we go about the work to which he has called us. Like the people of Nehemiah’s day who rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem with a spear in one hand and their tools in the other (Nehemiah 4:17), we are to be prayerfully watchful and to keep working at the same time.
We should, in fact, be greatly motivated and inspired in our work for Jesus by the knowledge that He could return at any moment. The unexpected timing of His return means that we have the opportunity to bring Jesus delight by the way He finds us doing what He commanded us to do upon His return.
First and foremost, we will delight Him if He finds us living and witnessing as His “salt and light” in the world. When Jesus returns, He will be thrilled to find us living in ways that reveal His goodness, character and love, and boldly telling others the glorious good news that they too can be God’s children through faith in Jesus.
Loving, Christlike actions and faithful, Christlike invitations to others to enter His Kingdom ought to keep us occupied until Jesus’ return, not the distraction of predictions. How will you build His Kingdom today by your words or your actions, or both? Pray about one thing you could do, or one person to whom you could speak, with the aim of growing His Kingdom’s presence in the world.
Contemplation
Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn one or more of these declarations over and over in your mind. Keep them in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ:
- I will stay constantly mindful of Jesus’ presence with me.
- I will live and speak in such a way as to delight Jesus upon His return – because it may be today.
Lord Jesus, You are worthy of my loving, faithful service. Holy Spirit, please empower me to be be pleasing to Jesus today and every day. Amen.
Dave's Diary 