40 DAYS in the GOSPEL Sample

STAYING AWAKE

Growing up, my (Josiah) mom would frequently leave my two brothers and me a few chores that needed completed by the time she got home from running an errand. Being typical boys at that age, we would of course put off most of the work until the very last minute. I will never forget the galvanizing power of hearing Mom's car pull into the driveway with dishes still sitting untouched in the sink! We would all three fly into action cleaning dishes like our lives depended on it, trying desperately to preserve our TV time for that evening. Anticipation can be very motivational.

For most of my time as a follower of Jesus, there has been a lot of conversation about when and how Jesus would return and usher in the end of the world as we know it. There were always a few books lying open around our apartment concerning the Antichrist, the four Horsemen, and the Battle of Armageddon. As I remember, what most of this talk did was motivate (you guessed it!) more talk about the where and when of His return, but not much in the way of actual gospel activity. Now I will say, growing up in this type of environment has helped me keep an eternal perspective on life because, from an early age, we were trained to know that it was the world to come that mattered most.

I’m sure there are many reasons why the exact time of Jesus' return is a secret. Most are well beyond my ability to understand. But I think there is one practical reason that is revealed here in our passage (v. 32-37). The Christian life is a life lived in anticipation. It's intended to be a life of intentional waiting. The way Jesus describes it here is as a lifestyle of staying awake—awake to gospel priorities; awake to those around us who don’t know God; awake to the way our lifestyle speaks about the priorities of the Kingdom of God; awake to the way we see Jesus' own life lived, as one of faithful anticipation of His death and victorious resurrection.

Knowing the motivating power of anticipating Jesus' sure return, it is no surprise that the enemy has introduced a counterfeit. He would like nothing better than for us to waste the time that we have trying to figure out the when and the how, instead of living full of courage drawn from the sure fact of Jesus' return. Let’s not fall for it! Let's leave the details up to God. And let's keep our hands and feet moving towards seeing the gospel proclaimed to as many as possible, demonstrated through our lives, to a world that is sunk deep in the sleep of hopelessness and fear.

PRAY ABOUT IT: Bring all of your fears and questions to God concerning the state of our world and the return of His Son. Ask Him to replace your curiosity and worry with anticipation and action.