The Son of Man is coming ...

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“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

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I once imagined that this parable was all about the second coming of Christ.. either in the rapture or when he comes at Armageddon. In some sense that works but it seems to fall apart because the scripture would not be applicable for the millions of people who have died since Jesus shared this parable. Like the story of the man who died building bigger barns (shared earlier in this chapter) I think this parable is all about death coming in an unexpected way.

I once heard it asked "What would you do differently if you knew today would be your last day?" The question opens up the idea that today very well may be our last day. To this Jesus speaks and instructs us to be wise in how we live. He warns us to be clothed in godly attire and to not fall asleep spiritually. It reminds me of how the apostle tells us in Ephesians to being clothed in the armor of God and ready to do battle with the forces of darkness.

Lord, help me to keep my lamp burning today and to be dressed in the armor of the Holy Spirit.

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