The unknown day and hour
Jesus said to his disciples: “For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Staying awake
Staying awake has nothing to do with not getting a good sleep. It is about being consistent in doing good always because we do not know when Jesus will come again.
Jesus does not want his disciples to be caught unawares, as in the time of Noah, when the people were busy eating, drinking, and merrymaking, unmindful of warnings on the coming disaster.
They were not interested in knowing why Noah was building the ark.
Christians must always be on high alert level. They must use their time and resources doing the will of God. If they are carefree and do not take seriously God’s message to stop violence, immorality, and crimes, they will not be spared of the devastating consequences when the time of reckoning comes.
Paul specifies how to wake from sleep. Christians should avoid drunkenness, debauchery, licentiousness, quarreling, jealousy, and self-gratification. They should be prepared to meet the Lord.
The prophet Isaiah anticipates the Lord’s first coming. The Messiah will attract people to Jerusalem to worship the Lord and be instructed by him. He will exercise judgment on all peoples. He will make people reconcile with one another. All their weapons of war will be recycled into farm implements.
In this season of Advent, we await the coming of the Lord on his birthday, as predicted by Isaiah. We also await his second coming to judge us if we have truly listened to his voice and have made the world our home.
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2019,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http:// www.stpauls.ph.