36 "But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. 37 "The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. 38 Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They knew nothing - until the flood hit and swept everything away. 40 Two men will be working in the field - one will be taken, one left behind; 41 two women will be grinding at the mill - one will be taken, one left behind. 42 So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. 43 But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. 44 Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.
It has said that “When we look at the past too much we become depressed or guilty. When we look to the future too far, we become anxious; when we live in the present, we have less guilt or anxiety.”
Our text causes us to look to the future - perhaps too far - and can give us a good case of anxiety. We are to be ready for what is to come. To be on alert, which is both time consuming and emotionally draining.
However, Jesus words are meant to be a promise not a threat. To warm our hearts not scare us into heaven. For it is a Friend who is speaking, a Friend who is coming. We need not fear! What a Friend we have in Jesus!
We are getting ready again to celebrate his coming. We have no idea how he will appear, but stay awake, he will show up in human form again, and again, and again!
"Perhaps Christianity has more to do
with being redemptively human than being
superhumanly spiritual. It involves the
conversion, not from human being to
spiritual hero, but from inhuman to human.
God will be known in and through our humanity."
William E. Peatman
Prayer thought for the week: “Lord, help me to both see and be you in our humanity.”
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