Yesterday, I posed a question on this blog.
It was a simple question but it was one with a very telling answer.
The question was this:
If you knew for absolutely certain that Christ was coming again this time tomorrow, what would you do?
We are a world awaiting the return of its King.
We are a world living in the midst of a mighty promise: the promise that though Christ has gone, he will return one day.
We are a people who have been given the gift of new life in Christ and charged with a singular message to tell the whole world the good news of our Savior.
We are a people who know the truth that when the King returns, he will gather up his people but there are many who on that day will be lost.
We are a people who does not know when our King will return but have been told to keep watch.
I asked what you would do if you KNEW that Christ would return tomorrow and it’s a question we have to seriously consider because the answer tells us most of what we need to know about how we are living our lives.
If the answer is anything but, “Exactly what I was going to do anyway.” then you’re not living your life right. We have been told to live as if the next moment will be our last, as if Christ is not returning tomorrow but today.
The time will come upon us like a thief in the night. Either we’re living ready for that day to come or we’re not.
There is no middle ground.
So I’ll ask again:
If you knew for absolutely certain that Christ was coming again this time tomorrow, what would you do?
I’d spend the day playing ball with my son.
Awesome!
It’s hard to say. I’m not sure if there is anything that I COULD do. I think I would be paralyzed with excitement.
….and you’re not paralyzed with excitement every day that it could happen any moment now?
I taught second grade for nine years, so I think I can be forgiven for the fact that my first thought was to make him a “WELCOME BACK, JESUS!” sign…
Oh man, my stomach hurts from giggling so hard at that!
I think if you taught second grade for nine years, you can be forgiven just about anything! 🙂
I know the question deserves a serious answer but I think my answer is that I would e-mail you and pose this question – ‘So why have I just bought you 18 boxes of Shreddies breakfast cereal?’ You can’t take it with you.
Which leads us into another serious question. If we are really serious about our faith, why do we stock up the fridge?
Why do firefighters not just sit in their fire engines all day waiting for a call?
Because they are prepared and ready for what they know will come but know that they need to keep themselves healthy and ready for whenever it is
My point is, Jesus tells us to take no thought for tomorrow. Firemen have to keep repeating their exercises or they will be unfit when the cry goes up. The born again believer has been made fit once and for all through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When the cry goes up that the bridegroom is coming we will be ready because all that we need has already been put in place and can never fail, fade, or be taken away. The teaching of Jesus is that we should make no forward plans nor put aside any provisions for tomorrow but to serve Him each day and leave it to Him to provide all that we need. I have not achieved that level of faith or service. My failure to trust Jesus that much does not change the truth. The answer to you original question is – carry on doing whatever He told you to do today day; but He is wise enough not to cause us any alarm – that’s why we will not know when He is coming until we see Him arrive.
On the other hand I remain convinced that whatever day it is, it will be between 3 and 4 in the morning, somewhere.
I’d be crying for all the lost, for those I couldn’t reach or I turned off because I was too strong in my presentation. I’d be crying because I didn’t have another day to show them a better way, the only way. I’d be asking God to have mercy on the lot of them.
Ah, the ol’ “What would you do if Christ came tomorrow” trick. I’m kidding, obviously. 🙂 Kidding because I should ask myself that question every day until He does choose to return.
I would call my Dad and prompt him again that he’d better climb on board with Jesus, and fast. I would hug my wife and children, look them in the eyes and say, “Ready for a ride?” Then I’d like to sit down and write until the moment He returns. Because I honestly wonder, what would I write in those final moments of the world as we know it? What would my last written word be at the moment Jesus calls us up in a flash?
If I knew for certain, I’d gather the family for a big celebratory meal. And I quit worrying about writing projects and deadlines.
Awesome!!!
Would you let me have the day off from modifying your site and building the closet? 🙂
I started hanging drywall last night, btw!