Today's Reading:O.T. - 1 Chronicles 1 - 4
N.T. - 1 Thessalonians 5
Focus Verses: 1 Thes. 5:2-6
2for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
Insight:
The "day of the Lord" is a phrase that goes all the way back to the Old Testament prophets. It refers to a final day when God will intervene with judgment and blessing. The Christians who witnessed Jesus' ascension into heaven were told that he would one day return. This belief has been central to Christianity since the beginning. The Nicene Creed (325 A.D.) says, "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom will have no end." With this faith and hope, Paul urges Christians to live with an expectation of that "final day." This expectation should guide the way they live each day. They should be thoughtful, alert, and self-controlled.
Response and Action:
Anticipating and looking for Christ's return should be a part of my daily thinking. Remembering and believing that the "day of the Lord" is real and impending should heighten my vigilance and diligence. The possibility of Christ's soon return should guide my choices and actions in life.
Dear Lord, I want to be ready for Christ's return. More than that, I long for it. Bring your Kingdom to earth today, O Lord. Help me to live and work in this world today as a servant of your Kingdom, which is and is to come. Help me to be alert and able to see the world from a Kingdom perspective. Help me to be self-controlled and to walk in your ways. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Proverbs: 4:25-26
"Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm."
Resources:
When Christ Comes
by Max Lucado
