We have an orange tabby cat who, like most all cats, has an intense desire to catch mice, birds, rabbits, squirrels, and a few other small creatures. Sometimes I will notice him flying across the yard trying to catch something, just to come up a little bit short as whatever he was chasing just barely managed to get away underneath a shed. But then the waiting game will happen, as he is not easily deterred from missing his target. He might sit there listening and staring at the hole the creature went into for an hour, and hardly move. Just waiting, and watching until eventually the other creature finally crawls back out, only to be met by a waiting set of paws.
Just like a cat will intently and patiently wait, we too must patiently wait and watch for the return of the Lord, because we do not know exactly when that day is.
Luke 12:35-40 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Jesus used the example of a thief breaking into a house at night. A thief will not send a notification to a home owner that “Hey! Tonight I’m going to break into your home and take your things!” They just don’t do that. A thief will come at a time when most people are asleep, unannounced, and at any random moment. The return of Christ will be the same, at a time unannounced, unknown to anyone but the Father. Thankfully we can know when the time is drawing nearer, but we must always be continually watching, and waiting for that day, ready for the return of the Lord.
The parable of the ten virgins is about this same kind of thing. Watching, being ready and prepared.
Matthew 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
We must be ready and waiting for the Lord whenever it is that He returns. Unlike the foolish virgins who did nothing to prepare until it was too late, the time for us to prepare is right now. We must be wise, filling our lamps with the oil of the Holy Spirit and keep ourselves fully in the word of God. We are soldiers of the Lord, and just as regular soldiers on Earth need to be ready and prepared at any moment while in battle, we must be prepared as well, armed with the sword of the Spirit, and the armor of God. The Lord is coming back, but will you be among those who are watching, waiting, and ready?
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 