Friday Thought -- July 15, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

Have you ever wondered what the Second Coming of Jesus will be like? You aren’t the first one who wondered. Jesus dealt with that question in His day, too, and He provided some hints about what it will be like and some advice about how to approach it.

“The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.’” (Luke 17:22-35)

Here are the hints Jesus gave about it …

·         It will be visible; you won’t have wonder whether or not it has happened. It won’t be a secret coming. “Like the lightning, which flashes from one end to the other.”

·         People will be taken by surprise when He comes. “Just as in the days of Noah.”

·         Some will be ready and some will be left behind. “One will be taken and the other left.”

And here is the advice of Jesus about how to approach His coming …

Give your life away to Him – don’t try to hold on to it. “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” If you try to keep your life for yourself – doing what you want to do, living for yourself, seeking pleasure, following your will – when Jesus comes again you won’t be ready. If, on the other hand, you give your life to Him, serve Him and His will, follow His instructions – then when He comes you will be ready.

The point is you don’t have to know when He is coming. You don’t have to make any special preparations as the day gets nearer. It’s all about having a right relationship with Him every day. Do that, and you are ready – whatever day He comes.

His, by Grace,

Steve