Mark 13:37
"What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
When I roll out of bed in the morning, I am neither alert nor awake. It isn't until I'm sipping on the second cup of coffee that the remnants of drowsiness are dispelled like a morning mist when greeted by blazing sunlight. In the hazy limbo between sleep and wakefulness, my thoughts are scattered and incoherent, and I'm certainly not watching for anything other than the weariness to fade. If the Lord chose this moment to return (or anytime in the night when I'm blissfully slumbering), I would be found delinquent and dilatory in following His command to "Watch!"; that is, of course, if Jesus meant for us to be physically prepared to meet Him. As He was wont to use hyperbole in His teachings, I believe Jesus was using corporeal illustrations to represent the urgent need for our spiritual readiness upon His return. Our souls, adorned like a bride awaiting her groom, should be ever mindful, ever anticipating, ever vigilant in each watch of the day or night.
No one knows the day nor the hour of the Lord's coming. In light of that, we should engage fully in every present moment, neither dwelling unproductively on the past nor projecting disproportionate scenarios for the future. While the one holds precious memories and the other fuels our hopes and dreams, the here and now is, essentially, all we have. We can choose to greet each moment, aware and awake, or we can drift away in dreamy detachment. I hope today you will decide to live in the moment by moment, wakeful, alert, aware, and watching, so you don't miss a minute of this life with which God has blessed you!
Readings:
Psalms 5, 6 or 10, 11
1 Kings 1:38-2:4
Acts 26:24-27:8
Mark 13:28-37
Excellent, sister! I like this verse from Psalm 5:8 "Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
ReplyDeletebecause of my enemies;
make your way straight before me"
We can also watch with our spiritual heart. I learn to be in sync with mine years ago and can discern more from Holy Spirit since! I think...and it's only me...being on guard is also being saturated and covered by prayer and word. God bless your good heart....and now..it's 6am...and am convicted that I should go make coffee...thanks a lot!!hahaha
Bernie, thanks so much for your insightful comments and the shared verse - yes, such a wonderful one! Hope you enjoyed your coffee as much as I did mine!:)
ReplyDeleteBlessings, brother!
Watching, to me, means that I’m ever conscious of his presence, no matter who I’m with, where I am, or what I’m doing. I see him at every turn. I watch for his every move.
ReplyDeleteToday I was visiting a friend in the hospital. Suddenly her bed began trembling, the IV starting shaking and rattling. I watched in disbelief as the strange phenomenon took place in a small space. Seconds later I heard someone across the hall shout, “It’s an earthquake!”
Then the phone rang and, sure enough, we were feeling the tremors of the Virginia earthquake. That’s when I heard him say, “Everything that can be shaken will be shaken.”
These signs are wake up calls, don’t you think? All the more reason to watch!
Oh, Debra, what an experience that must have been! Wake up calls? Yes! The earth may tremble and the mountains fall, but those who trust in the Lord will never be shaken!
ReplyDeleteWait and watch in trust and faith!
Blessings!