August 7: EXPECTING A GUEST?

What’s it like at your house when a special guest is coming? Does everyone get in on the preparation? Is everyone filled with excitement and anticipation? It’s the normal reaction; you must prepare for the event.
Some folks I know are preparing for the arrival of a special friend. Jesus said to them (recorded in John 14:1-3) that he was going away but “I will come back.” No exact date was given for his arrival; Matthew 24:44 says that “you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
The timing of the arrival of the Guest and the preparation must harmonize. In Mark 13:5, Jesus begins a dissertation by saying, “Watch out that no one deceives you by telling you that your guest is actually in another part of town.” Ignore distractions!
In fact, Matthew 25:1-13 relates a story of some young women who got distracted or preoccupied with something else and so were unprepared when the Guest came. On thing for sure, expecting a special guest surely adds zest to daily living. Makes you want to get up in the mornings!
A great boredom has settled over much of society. Many are “all dressed up with no place to go.” An affluent society like ours that can go everywhere, do everything and buy the latest toys will suffer from “the blahs”. (Ask your Doctor how many patients he has who have nothing wrong but boredom.)
While the first coming of Jesus to earth stands out as the most important event of history (time is reckoned B.C. and A.D.), his coming back will certainly be the climax of history. It is easy to understand why biblically based Christians would be spending time daily in preparing to meet him.
The Bible closes (Revelation 22:20) with Jesus saying, “Yes, I am coming soon,” and John replying, “Come quickly.” Are you prepared for His coming?

“Eternal God, we know that we don’t reckon time in the same way
that You do. Help us not to get antsy while we wait and prepare. Amen”