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Matthew 24:44

⁴⁴"Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Jesus warned the disciples to always be ready for His return. He emphasized the fact that we would not know when that moment would come. During the last two thousand years, the church has expected Christ's return. As history unfolds, we can see prophecy fulfilled to a greater extent and continue to anticipate the Second Coming.

Jesus used an analogy that we often misunderstand. He taught that if the master of the house would have known the hour of the night a thief would attempt to break into his house, he would have stayed up to keep his house safe (Matthew 24:43). Certainly, Jesus is not saying He is a thief. We know from John's Gospel that Jesus referred to Satan as a thief (John 10:10). The expectation of Jesus' return keeps us on guard against the enemy robbing us of that hope by lulling us to sleep.

Another way to look at the same need in our lives is to realize that people die suddenly. There are accidents. There are unexpected health issues. Our lives are like a vapor (James 4:14). When that moment comes, we will stand before Jesus and give an account. I certainly don't want to have to declare that I received His gracious gift of salvation and then spiritually slept until my time had come. Let us be about our Father's business. Let us be intentional about being spiritually alert, aware that there is a thief that is waiting for an unguarded moment so that he might rob us. Let us keep our eyes on the heavens, expecting Jesus' return.

Consider: What if He came today? Would He find you ready?