Matt. 24:36-44
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
“Be Ready!”
Someone has said, “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.
It is easy to take these words as a threat; and respond with fear. The result is that we become so caught up in trying to be ready that we cannot enjoy life. And we may even be disappointed when that for which we are ready doesn’t happen. Religion than becomes a negative force in life, keeping joy out.
These words are meant to give hope not fear; they are a promise to be heard with the ears of faith which dares to believe that all is in God’s hands and it is good.
Look up and rejoice for something good is about to happen.
Be ready - your lover is coming soon. God loves you. Be ready to be loved all the way to the better end.
To be ready is to be fully alive and in love, as Ireneaus, the ancient church father said: “The glory of God is man fully alive.”
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