How Shall We Then Live?

SCRIPTURE: Luke 21:25-28; 34-36
²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. ²⁶ Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. ²⁷ At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

³⁴ “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

OBSERVATION: Certainly I see more of the signs of Jesus' return in the last decade than in the previous decades of my remembrance. I think of the earthquakes around the world that seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity and the tsunamis that have devastated and killed people in the Indian Ocean and Japan. Even the increase in terror attacks are, in my opinion, related to the end times. And what does Jesus say should be our response to seeing these things? He starts with a warning. Be careful! Do not let yourself be weighed down with either dissipation (the pleasures of life) or anxieties (the worries of this life) or the day of his return will close on you like a trap. Then he goes on to say we should watch (keep alert) and pray for two specific things. We should pray that we escape the great trouble that will come at the end of the world and that we will be able to stand before Jesus in his role as Ruler and Judge.

APPLICATION: I think we Christians take our salvation much too glibly. I am so grateful that Jesus paid the penalty for my sin so that I could spend eternity with him, but that does not mean I can take his grace for granted. We focus so much on grace and forgiveness in the Church that I think we forget that we are supposed to be continually growing in holiness and purity. If Jesus, who is the one who sacrificed his life to buy my forgiveness, tells me I need to pray that I will be able to stand before him at the end of the age, then I had better not just assume that it is a "given" that I will be able to do so. I must be intentional in my pursuit of becoming like him and not be distracted by the temptations of this life. He does promise that "all these things" will be added to me if I seek first the kingdom of God. But if I choose to pursue them on my own, I am in trouble.

PRAYER: Father, I do want to seek first the kingdom of God. Help me to maintain my focus on the right things and not to worry about this life so much. My hope and my trust is in you. May I grasp the full measure of your grace to be an overcomer, and may I lead others in doing the same. Thank you, thank you, for your enduring grace that enables me to do your will. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.