“The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (I Thess. 4:16-17 NIV1984). “About times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night…So, then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled” (I Thess. 5:1-2, 6).
“Like a thief in the night” is a metaphorical description of Christ’s first appearance. We do not know the time or date. There will be no emails, letters from Heaven or signs in the sky that will announce His return. Otherwise, we would be more conscientious about how we lived. Churches would be overflowing on Sunday. Witnessing to lost friends, family members and acquaintances would become a priority.
“Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come” (Mark 13:33). We get so involved in living our lives through work, entertainment and family time that we often become lackadaisical in spiritual matters. Our enthusiasm and motivation wane over time. We know that Jesus will come back one day, but we don’t really expect it to be today, tomorrow or even next week. We don’t want to be caught off guard. We must awake from our sleep and be alert and ready to meet the Lord in the air.
I recently read about a woman who took $16 back to a store to pay for a second stapler that the cashier had failed to ring up. The manager couldn’t find a way to take the money, even with her receipt, so he told her to keep the money and the stapler as a gift. Someone watching stopped her in the parking lot. Although commending her honesty, he asked why she continued to insist on paying back the money. Her reply? “I just don’t want the Lord to come back and find me with a stolen stapler in my hand.” We are a little amused by what she said, but we should take it seriously. We don’t want the Lord to find us in places we shouldn’t be, doing or saying things that are inappropriate.
How do we stay alert, be prepared and ready for the Lord’s coming? By studying our Bibles, praying regularly, being faithful in church attendance and involving ourselves in her ministry. Fellowshipping with other believers and living a life of faith and obedience to God will help keep our focus on Jesus. Remember: “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (I Cor. 15:51-52).
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3). These words are not only comforting but also reassuring. Jesus will come back! Are you ready and alert?
