Now Boarding . . .

“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”   

 (Revelation 16: 15,  NIV)

 

If we knew someone was going to break into our home or business on a certain night, wouldn't we stay awake in order to protect ourselves or our property?  Because, after all, a thief will not send a written notice stating he's on his way.  Scripture tells us that Jesus will return to this Earth like a thief in the night.  Jesus won't get on a loudspeaker days in advance and warn us to be ready.  His Word has already done that.  The Bible has already told us that He will return, but we just don't know when. 

 

If you have ever traveled via airlines, you know there can be problems and delays.  Over the Christmas holidays, this happened to many travelers in the northeast.  When this happens, you may be placed on standby, which means you must be available to "stand by" for when the plane is ready to take off.  You can't be gone to the shopping mall when the call comes to board the plane. You have to be there at the airport gate, ready to go.  

 

So it is with our spiritual journey.  Christ has died, giving us a ticket into Heaven.  We can either choose to accept or reject it.  No time or date are printed on the ticket.  We must be on standby if we want to board a "one-way" trip to Heaven.  We can't fall asleep in the terminal when the delay seems longer than expected.  We may not hear the call.  Be alert---be ready.  Christ will one day return!   

 

"You know very well that the day the Lord comes again will be a surprise, like a thief. So we should not be like other people who are sleeping, but we should be alert and have self-control."

 (1 Thessalonians 5: 2, 6, New Century Version)