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MARK: Jesus #Unfiltered - Day 69
In school, I wasn’t sporty at all but I was moderately good at cricket. My front foot defence was relatively solid and my pull shot was, well, passable. Batting in cricket involves a number of skills but one of the most important is watching the ball. Watch the ball closely. Be on guard, watch it right onto the face of the bat, don’t take your eyes off it. Now today we are told to do something similar but not to watch a ball but to keep watch for Jesus. Not that we will miss him, but so that he will find us faithfully working for him when he returns.
When will he return? No one knows. I don’t know, the angels don’t know, not even Jesus himself knows! Only the Father knows. So it would be a great waste of time and energy for us to go searching through etymology or numerology and try to figure out when Jesus will return because there is no way that we can know. If Jesus doesn’t know, then we won’t be able to know. Therefore, we are told to be alert. He has given us the task of maturing in our relationship with him, serving him, the task of loving him and our neighbours, of making disciples so we should diligently do those things until Jesus comes again. Don’t put the brakes on, work for Jesus until he returns. Don’t let Jesus find us slacking off or taking the mission for granted, but be devoted for him. Note, this doesn’t mean we are to work ourselves into the ground, but that we should be diligent in the work and in our rest in order to be able to work again!
This year the great theologian Jim Packer passed away at the age of 94. Just a few years ago he wrote a book ‘Finishing Our Course with Joy’ and he wrote that the last lap of our Christian life should be done flat out for Jesus. My hope and prayer is that when we are on our last lap, or when Jesus comes again, he will find us watching and running for him. MC
Questions
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are coming back again. As we wait, help us to work faithfully and diligently for your glory. Keep us watchful for Jesus and may the labour of our hands be fruitful for the growth of the Kingdom. Amen.
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By St Bart's ToowoombaIn school, I wasn’t sporty at all but I was moderately good at cricket. My front foot defence was relatively solid and my pull shot was, well, passable. Batting in cricket involves a number of skills but one of the most important is watching the ball. Watch the ball closely. Be on guard, watch it right onto the face of the bat, don’t take your eyes off it. Now today we are told to do something similar but not to watch a ball but to keep watch for Jesus. Not that we will miss him, but so that he will find us faithfully working for him when he returns.
When will he return? No one knows. I don’t know, the angels don’t know, not even Jesus himself knows! Only the Father knows. So it would be a great waste of time and energy for us to go searching through etymology or numerology and try to figure out when Jesus will return because there is no way that we can know. If Jesus doesn’t know, then we won’t be able to know. Therefore, we are told to be alert. He has given us the task of maturing in our relationship with him, serving him, the task of loving him and our neighbours, of making disciples so we should diligently do those things until Jesus comes again. Don’t put the brakes on, work for Jesus until he returns. Don’t let Jesus find us slacking off or taking the mission for granted, but be devoted for him. Note, this doesn’t mean we are to work ourselves into the ground, but that we should be diligent in the work and in our rest in order to be able to work again!
This year the great theologian Jim Packer passed away at the age of 94. Just a few years ago he wrote a book ‘Finishing Our Course with Joy’ and he wrote that the last lap of our Christian life should be done flat out for Jesus. My hope and prayer is that when we are on our last lap, or when Jesus comes again, he will find us watching and running for him. MC
Questions
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are coming back again. As we wait, help us to work faithfully and diligently for your glory. Keep us watchful for Jesus and may the labour of our hands be fruitful for the growth of the Kingdom. Amen.