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Mark 13:32-37
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
New International Version (NIV)
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My friend and teaching partner at Truett Seminary saw the Milky Way Galaxy the other night while he was at his ranch in Floresville. It has been awhile since the air was quite as clean as it is in cities these days, an unexpected silver lining to the storm called Covid. I like to look at the sky. I have known about Orion’s belt since I was a grade-schooler. Venus has been spectacularly bright this spring. With the Psalmist in Psalm 121, we lift our eyes to the mighty Maker of all things who watches over us.
Theodore Roosevelt once invited his dinner guests to go for a walk and look up at the stars at night. When they had walked for a good while, gazing at the stars, he said to his friends, “We are small enough now. We can go home.”
Jesus reminds us of our need for humility at all times. He himself did not know the timing of his return. The angels did not know. Only the Father. Since we don’t know, we live our lives on guard and alert. We watch the skies not only to marvel at the stars, but because someday we will see our Redeemer coming on the clouds. If we stay ready, we won’t have to get ready or pretend to be busy. When Jesus returns may he find his church alert and ready.
Even his words call for humility, “You do not know.” It would take me a lot longer to tell you all the things I do not know than the things I know. My knowledge is incomplete about so many things. I am not an epidemiologist or a virologist, so I am careful in evaluating the current health crisis. I never studied chemistry or pharmacology formally, so I can’t tell you definitively which medicines work and which ones don’t. You may be much more certain about these things than I and you may be right. I always remember the words of one of my mentors when I argued for a certain perspective, “Leave room for the fact that you may be wrong about that.” So I do. Do you?
So what do we really know. We know for sure that Christ will return. We should not be surprised if it were today. We know that God so loved the world that he gave his Son. We know that Jesus’ work is to make all things news. We know that the New Jerusalem will someday come down to the earth. We know that God will be our God and we will be his children, forever. It turns out that the expression is right, “It’s who you know.” We know Christ. Right now, that is all I need to know.
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Pray with me:
Father, if we know anything at all, we know that you know more than we know. We cogitate, speculate, debate and equivocate. But you know. You say that someday in your presence we will know as we are known. Until then, please give us humility as we pontificate about all the things we are sure we know. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us your life. Help us to live every moment connected with you. In you there is life and life abundant. Thank you for sharing that life with us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:43-44
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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