Jesus is coming back and we better get ready. Scripture makes it clear that His coming will be unexpected (Matthew 24:36). It’s going to shock everyone because we aren’t living our lives in eager anticipation of His return (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6). Since you got out of bed this morning, how many times have you thought about the fact that this could be it? You might see Jesus in the very next minute!
Most days, we would have to answer that we have given little thought to it at all. Sure, on an intellectual level we recognize the possibility He could come back today, but that’s a far cry from eagerly anticipating it (Philippians 3:19-21)! Why are we not more excited about the coming of our salvation? Is it because we’ve become enamored with this world?
If Jesus isn’t returning, then we have no hope for eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). The good news is that His return is a guaranteed promise, so we better be prepared. We get ready for His coming by making the most of the time He entrusts to us in this life (Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5). Preparation involves not wasting a minute of our finite time. The sand is running out of the hourglass, and there’s no way to put it back in. We have the time He grants to us and then it’s over (James 4:14; Psalm 90:12). Our life ends when the time He gives us runs out or He returns in His glory.
The Biblical imagery of Christ’s return is stunning. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says we will all be eating and drinking, carrying on as if time didn’t matter and we don’t have a care in the world (Matthew 24:36-39). He likens it to two men working together in a field or two women grinding at the mill; one moment they are working side by side, and the next one of them will be gone (Matthew 24:39-41). It’s going to happen that fast, faster than you can blink. So we must get ready now, because there will be no time to prepare when He comes back. You will either be ready or lost forever.
Jesus compares His return to a thief coming in the night (Matthew 24:43-44). If you knew someone was coming to rob your house tonight, you would prepare. You would keep a vigil and be ready for them when they arrived. You would do everything you could to protect your family and defend your life. If we are so diligent regarding temporary things of this life, why are we so lackadaisical with eternal spiritual matters?
We must get ready for the coming of our Lord, and we should do so with tremendous joy and anticipation (1 Peter 1:13; Hebrews 9:27-28). This is the moment we’ve been waiting for from the moment of our surrender to His Lordship. When He returns, He will fulfill all He has promised (John 14:2-3; Titus 1:1-2; Hebrews 10:23). All the pain and struggle will be worth it in that moment. We will be victorious and reign forever with our King (Revelation 22:1-5; 2 Timothy 2:11-12). Are you looking forward to that day? Does it consume you and infuse every choice you make until then? If not, why not?
Don’t be caught living the same way the world lives and loving the same things the world does (1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:2). Each of us will bow our knee to Jesus and give an account for everything we have done in this life (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Some will go away to paradise and some to eternal Hell (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:15). Today is the day to prepare for how you will spend eternity. Time is running out. Jesus is coming back, and now is the time we must all get ready.