Stay Awake
Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come… The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:42-44
As a nurse working the night shift for many years, there were times when it was particularly hard to stay awake. This was especially true when you were assigned only one patient who was a high falls risk – your job was to watch them to make sure they did not try and get out of bed. It is very difficult to watch someone sleep in a very dimly lit room for eight hours and stay awake!
In these verses, Jesus is reminding us that He is coming again. In the past two years I have heard many people speculate about how soon He will come again. One day I drove past a billboard that said, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if Jesus came back today?”
More important than the question of when is how – how are we living until He comes? Are we living expectantly, and excitedly; Not only watching for Him but doing the work He has given us to do until He comes? Are we staying spiritually active worshiping our Lord, loving Him and neighbor, or have we succumbed to spiritual lethargy?
We can get sleepy spiritually when we feel like we are not making progress, in our faith or our church. Or perhaps we are in the doldrums, which seem to ensnare all of us sometimes.
Advent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy. One thing is sure: Jesus Christ will return, whether it is very soon, or later than we expect. The Bible leaves no doubt about it.
Lord Jesus, until You come again help us remain spiritually alert and active. Help us not to grow weary in all You call us to do. Come Lord Jesus, Amen.