Knowledge is a good thing; it
helps us manage our lives better. Knowing what time work or school starts helps
us plan when to get out of bed, clean up, and have breakfast, and leave the house.
Knowing how long it takes to get to a destination, helps us determine the best time
of departure in order to be punctual.
When children know what time
their parents will be back home, they make sure they clean up their mess before
then, or complete whatever chores they were assigned. Spouses start meal
preparation at a time that allows them to have a hot meal ready by the time
they expect the other home.
Knowing that the Lord Jesus is
coming back soon or that He will be calling us home any day now, should help us
prepare, because it is not a matter of if, but when. So when is He coming back,
or when is He going to call us home? The Scripture says no one knows the time,
except the Lord, not even the angels. The day will be unannounced, and that is
why we always have to be ready, living expectantly, with the knowledge that
either event could happen any day, at any time (See Luke 12:40, Matthew 24:42,
Mark 13:32, Ecclesiastes 9:12).
In preparation for His return, we need to be:
Living right
– John reminds Christians (us), “Continue in him, so that when He appears we
may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming” (1John 2:28 NIV).
Wouldn’t you be ashamed to be living in sin, doing something you know is wrong,
when He appears? I am sure you would be,
and I would be too.
Working diligently – The Bible tells us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all
your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor
planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV). Also, “Who then is
the faithful and wise manager, who the master puts in charge of his servants…It
will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns (Luke
12:42-43 NIV). Again, “Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians
15:58 NIV). Accountability should be one of our biggest concerns. We will have to show how we’ve lived, using
the gifts and talents, opportunities and resources entrusted to us in this
life. (see Matthew 12:36, Romans 14:12, Hebrew 4:13 NIV). We also need to
remember that with every passing day, we have less time in which to work, “As
long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming,
when no one can work” (John 9:4 NIV).
Warning the unsaved – Jesus tells us in John’s
gospel, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one
and only Son” (John 3:18 NIV). This makes it clear that there is trouble ahead
for unbelievers. Should we go about, not caring what happens to them? Is that
the attitude God expects from us, when we know full well that Jesus suffered
for the whole world ?Of course not;
Paul addresses this issue this way, “Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade
men” (2 Corinthians 5:11 NIV), and Jude expresses the urgency of the situation
by saying, “Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and
save them” (Jude 22-23). Family members, friends, and neighbors could be in
serious trouble, depending on what they do or don’t believe. Let us help them
escape God’s judgment.
Enduring persecution and trials with the right
attitude – the following verses teach
us the attitude we should cultivate toward suffering. “Blessed are you when
people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you
because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew
5:11-12 NIV). “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those
who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28 NIV). After being
flogged for preaching the Word, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing
because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts
5:41). James encourages us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face
trials of many kinds” (James 1:2 NIV).
The Lord promised to reward us
for our faithfulness when He returns. Receiving rewards however, should not be
our motivation for service and obedience to Him. After we’ve completed our assigned tasks, the
Scripture says we should say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our
duty” (John 17:10 NIV). Whether we expect rewards or not, He has promised them
(see Matthew 5:12 NIV), so we can thankfully and expectantly look forward to
enjoying them. The apostle Paul reminds us of the same thing when he told the
Church at Corinth, “The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose
and each will be rewarded according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8 NIV).
May our knowledge of the
future encourage us to be all that we need to be in the present, so that when
He appears, we can confidently report, “Sir, your mina has earned ten more” and
expect this response, “”Well done, my good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in a very
small matter, take charge of ten cities” (Luke 19:16-17 NIV).
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