For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1. Thessalonians 5:2)
When our sons were younger, they loved playing with very small toys. These were then everywhere around. Even though the boys collected these items again, many of them were left. One day, I informed them that I would clean up soon and they should pick up their toys. The day I wanted to take action, I realized that they had failed to comply with this request. The toys where everywhere! What should I do now? Just put everything away? Move my plan and give the boys another chance to "save" their toys? Today I do not remember how that story ended. This, however, became clear to me at that moment:
Just as our sons did not know the exact time I wanted to clean up, so we do not know when Jesus will come again. But when the day of the Lord comes - as unforeseen as a thief in the night - we should be ready. Then we have no further chance to "clean up" - our relationships with God and the people, our lives. Jesus Christ will not accept justifications such as "I have not had time yet", "I was not aware of it", "Does this have to be today?", "I'm not ready yet" or "I should urgently do that now". Then there is no escape (a). Thank God, the verse in 1. Thessalonians 5:2 is only the beginning of the message. It continues to say:
"But you, friends, are not in the darkness, an the Day should not take you by surprise like a thief. All of you are people who belong to the light, who belong to the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, we should not be sleeping like the others; we should be awake and sober." (1. Thessalonians 5:4-6)
What a hope! And what a challenge to stay awake and sober! We do well to follow Paul's advice in verse 11:
"And so encourage one another and help one another, just as you are now doing." (a) AMEN!
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