DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-03-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 24:42=44
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴² So keep watch. You don’t know when your Lord will come. ⁴³ But you should know this: If the owner of a house had known his house was about to be broken into, he would have stayed up all night, vigilantly. He would have kept watch, and he would have thwarted the thief. ⁴⁴ So you must be ready because you know the Son of Man will come, but you can’t know precisely when.

OBSERVATION: Weather apps are awesome, because they prepare us for what’s ahead in weather conditions. So imagine receiving an alert in very dangerous weather that will affect our conditions tomorrow and present very high risk to the safety of people, homes and objects, but you decide to simply ignore the warnings. No worries about what others will say, because that’s exactly what many do on weekends after hearing the Word proclaimed in our churches. What’s wrong?

APPLICATION: As I read the Word today, I was reminded how relaxed we become when we lower our guard on great dangers and the corresponding warnings given to us ahead of that potential danger. If we don’t get a hurricane for a few years, we relax our guard. After a ‘big one’ hits, we raise our guards as our senses have been rekindled to the inherent danger, then we react to warnings when a hurricane is still hundreds of miles out at sea. Jesus knew that the disciples by His side were going through the motions of servanthood, but He wanted to remind them to always be prepared for the inevitable – the return of the Master to take His bride, the church, home to glory. Many of you might attend church, and you might casually mention around the lunch table the urgency you felt in your pastor’s words that morning at church. You may have been reminded of how everything is being aligned for the return of Christ, just as the Bible says, but somehow you feel like its just not time to ‘bother’ family members and neighbors of the urgency of the hour. Or is it that you are not convinced yourself? Notice how Jesus told the disciples that although they must know of Christ’s return, they will not know precisely when the return of the Master will take place. In my Old Testament reading Moses invited the Israelites to come closer to the mountain so they could see God. As God came closer to them, the mountain shook from the thunderous sound of God speaking to them. Will you wait for the thunder before you get serious about His return? Jesus taught us to be ready at all times, just like a homeowner who would wait up all night with a readied defense against a robber who planned to rob him that night. No doubt you are equally as concerned about impending danger to your kids, causing you to almost panic as you warn them about certain aspects of life that you know would bring harm to them and their family. Friends, no matter how much love you feel towards your kids, and how careful you are in warning them of things that might hurt them, or how strongly you encourage them towards the benefits in store for them, know that we serve a God who far exceeds your expectations in doing the same for you! He created you in His own image and He poured out His love for you in ways that you would never think or imagine. He is taking care of us here on earth, but yet He has already prepared us a place for the time when we will unite with Him around His throne in glory. Let me encourage you to fully surrender to our Lord today my friend, for He cares for you, and He has a plan for your life! You are precious in His sight!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for thinking so much of me as to warn me about being ready for Your eminent return. You warned that only the Father knows the day and the hour of Your return, so seeing that could mean perhaps even before I conclude my devotional, I must stand ready even now to look full into Your wonderful face and sing endless praises to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, who died so that I might live forever in glory by Your side. Lord, I am most concerned that I have truly reminded my readers of the urgency of the hour, just as You did with Your disciples. These are Your precious children also dear God, so please allow Your urgent Word to penetrate their hearts so that they might ready themselves urgently for Your return. Lord, we know You are coming, and we know that You could come at any time, so with ready hearts, we invite You to come Lord Jesus come! Take us to be where You are! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!