Maybe Today!
"And thus
you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your
sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So
you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover."
(Exodus 12:11, NKJV)
The Israelites had
to eat the Passover ready to move out of Egypt
that very night. The packing was to be complete, all the
loose ends tied up, and they were to take a last look at
the land of their exile. I suppose if it were written
today it would say they had to eat with the motorcar
packed and idling. This was not a time for lounging
around in slippers and comfortable clothing. They had to
even eat with only one hand as the other hand was to
hold the stick which would assist them through the
journey which lay ahead. This reminds me of my military
days and having to sleep with my boots on and my kit
packed and ready to defend myself at a moment’s notice.
When Gideon was
weeding out those who were not prepared for battle, he
also looked at their posture. Those who, with gay
abandon, stretched themselves out next to the water were
not fit for the Lord’s battle as they were just too
casual about the potential of surprise.
On a number of
occasions, Jesus warned that we should also be ready for
His return, which could happen at any moment. "But
know this, that if the master of the house had known
what hour the thief would come, he would have watched
and not allowed his house to be broken into." (Luke
12:39, NKJV). No burglar sends notices to his victims,
informing them that he would be breaking into their
house at such and such a day and at a particular hour!
Yet somehow Christians expect the Lord to send notices,
announcing the date and time of His return. Others spend
their days doing futile calculations in order to figure
out when He will return. And I know you feel you are not
one of those who do not believe in the literal return of
the Lord, but when someone looks at your life what do
they see? Do they see someone with their boots on, their
bags packed, constantly scanning the sky for their Lord
or do they see someone who is living as though they will
be around on this earth for another hundred years?
The problem is
that most believers do not really believe that the Lord
could return at any moment. In fact, the vast majority
do not really want Him to return right now
because they are so attached to the things of this life.
This is why, when speaking about His second coming,
Jesus tells us to "Remember
Lot’s wife." (Luke 17:32, NKJV). Even
though the angels had come to save her from the judgment
which was about to come on
Sodom, she could not tear herself
away from her possessions. Once she had been removed by
force, her heart was still in that damned city. ["For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
(Matthew 6:21, NKJV)]. The difference is that when our
Lord returns, He is not going to force anyone to leave.
He won’t even be coming for those who are not looking
for His return! "To those who eagerly wait for Him He
will appear a second time" (Hebrews 9:28, NKJV). Did
you note that? He will appear to those who eagerly
wait for Him! Are you one of those, or is His return
just one of those things in the Bible that we “believe”
without actually believing?
Jesus tells the
story of "that evil servant (who) says in his heart,
‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat
his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the
drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day
when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is
not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him
his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:48-51, NKJV)
Once again He warns of the need to live in expectancy
and of the uncertainty of the hour of his return. The
fact that there are so many scriptures reminding us that
His return is at unexpected time highlights the
importance of this truth. Yet, we ignore the repeated
warnings and accept it as normal when we live as though
He will never return. This should never be normal, the
same way as it is not normal for two lovers, when
separated, to not be looking out with eager expectancy
for the day they will be reunited.
Two thousand
years ago the apostles lived every day with the genuine
anticipation that the Lord could return any day. Since
then there have been a small minority of believers who
have lived with this same expectation. Every time my
great-grandfather, who was a missionary, was told he
needed to take a break, as he was working himself into
the ground, his reply was: “There will be plenty of rest
when Jesus comes and that will be soon – then I will
rest”. I also remember my grandfather telling me of an
occasion when he was working on the roof, of the meeting
hall he was building, and was so convinced of the
imminence of the Lord’s return, that he seriously
considered abandoning the completion of the roof, when
the Spirit admonished him to “occupy till I come” (Luke
19:13)
If you knew
that today would definitely be your last, would you live
differently? I am sure you would. So how do you know
that it is not your last? So, if you believe that Jesus
can return any day now, should you not be making some
adjustments to your lifestyle? This does not mean we
should be foolish and not plan for the future, but we
should live with anticipation, making sure that each day
we complete the tasks that He has laid out for us. Do
not put off making right with the one who is offended,
paying back that debt or witnessing to that unsaved
person. Nothing that is of eternal significance should
be put off, if it can possibly be done today as this is
the only moment you can be sure of. Yes, He may come in
the next five minutes and then it will be too late.
"I must work
the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night
is coming when no one can work." (John 9:4, NKJV)
Anton
Bosch
antonbosch@sbcglobal.net
www.abcd.co.za/offi
www.abcd.co.za/plumbline
Tel 818 846 5520
Fax 818 846 4357
3310 West
Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, California
91505-2907
USA