November 24, 2024

Today's Reading: Mark 13:24-37

Daily Lectionary: Daniel 4:1-37; Revelation 21:1-8

Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. (Mark 13:35-36)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

I was recently looking at my calendar. It is a busy time of year. I was looking at the weeks and months ahead as Advent approaches, then as Christmas comes, then the new year. There are a lot of things to do in the near future. Things are planned even months or years ahead. Vacations, life milestones, graduations, you name it. Here’s the thing: if you are like me, you are certain those days will come, that they will happen, and there is no doubt that tomorrow the sun will rise. We’ve gotten comfortable. It’s almost as if we as a church have fallen asleep or, at the very least, dozed off.

The hard truth is that for many, the imminent return of Christ is not prevalent in how life is lived. Most people do not think that Christ will return tomorrow or that Christ will return soon. Instead, it is some far-off event that will happen years after our lifetime. This is understandable—the church has been waiting for the return of Christ for nearly two thousand years. By our standards, that is a long time to stay watchful, to stay waiting, and to stay vigilant. It is easy to doze off into a slumber when boredom sets in. So, allow this to be a wake-up call. Stay awake.

The day is drawing near. Every time we wake up to a new day, we are one day closer to the Last Day when Christ will return, a day that is not to be feared but to be excited about. Instead of waiting in boredom, wait in anticipation, for the day Christ returns, all things will be made new. The day Christ returns, death will be swallowed up forever. The day when Christ returns, there will be no more sorrow but eternal joy. The day when Christ returns, all believers will be raised to Paradise. That sounds exciting, doesn’t it? It’s hard to sleep when you are excited. So, look to Christ’s return as something to look forward to, and that will make it hard to fall asleep.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Caleb Weight, associate pastor of Peace In Christ Lutheran Church in Hermantown, MN.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Spend time reading and meditating on God’s Word throughout the Church Year with the Enduring Grace Journal. Includes scripture readings, prayers, prompts, and space for journaling. The Church Year Journal, Enduring Grace, now available from Concordia Publishing House.