But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6
The above verse is all about the return of Jesus Christ and the judgment to follow. As our Lord waits for the fullness of time before His return, the world and those who reject Him grow ever more careless in living as they did before the flood in Noah’s time. (Matthew 24:37-39) Those of us who have called on Jesus Christ and repented of our sin have been given the Holy Spirit who brings God’s Word to life in us; we should not be as those who do not know Him and live in “darkness” and without understanding. The Holy Spirit in us should be giving us “light”, which is truth and revelation. While we may not know the specifics of exactly what will happen to us or this world tomorrow, next week or next month, we can know how all things will ultimately end as God has told us in the Book of Revelation and in several epistles. The knowledge of the end of this world, along with the promptings of God’s Spirit in us, should keep us humble, focused, sober-minded and diligent to make our time and life count. We should be seeking to serve our Lord while we have time to do so, motivated by love for Him and other people. The year 2020 has been a crazy ride with the pandemic, the shut down of our society, economic and political instability, racial justice issues and unrest, and a general sense of anxiety and anger that has permeated our culture. If we know truth and light, and read what 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and Matthew 24:6-13 tell us, we will not be surprised by these developments, but assured that they are all part of God’s purposes for the end times we are in. What are we to do then knowing that we are closing in on the end? Live purposefully! Stay focused on God and be alert in prayer and service for Him while we can. Love God and love people each day by doing what is best with the knowledge that the time is short before we will give an account for how we lived our life. What are we not to do? Don’t become lazy, sleepy spiritually, selfish and complacent. Give God and people your best and know that it will all count both now and for eternity. This is the life a true follower of Jesus should produce; blessings will follow if you do!
Love in Christ,
Pastor Gary Houdek