Matthew 24:36-51 – “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Do you live each day like you’re expecting that Jesus could come at any moment?  The Bible has said that our judgment will come when we do not expect it.  In an instant,  we will be faced with the blinding light of God’s holiness and we will be laid bare before Him.  How does that make you feel?

How do you feel about that day?  Will that be a happy time for you?  Much of your joy in looking forward to that day is rooted in how you’re living today.  For a man who is breaking the law, there is much to fear from police taking him away when he leasts suspects it.  For someone free from the law, finding joy in loving others, there is no fear, only an eager expectation at the future joy to come.

Jesus says that those who do not prepare themselves for His coming will be cut to pieces and put where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This is not for a moment, but for all eternity.  That is the extent of God’s holiness – The same holiness which demands infinite wrath against sin, is a great treasure to those who are being saved by God, and a great source of fear for those who do not love Him.  There is a healthy amount of fear and trepidation that should accompany our thoughts of God and His judgment even for believers.  We should hold in awe, that every ounce of God’s judgment is due is.  Our joy can only be right and true, in relation to the extent we know what Christ has done on our behalf.  Therefore, know that God is not mocked, whatever one sows, he will reap (Gal 6:7).

Is there a seriousness in your fight for faith each day?  We know that faith is a gift of God, but does that mean He intends for us to be idle?  My exhortation is to make your calling and election sure; reach deep and live hard for Christ today, to push yourself further in your walk with Him – not as someone who is seeking escape from judgment, but out of affection for the one who has suffered our judgment.

Grace and Peace,
Adam