Matthew 24:36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

I think that after His resurrection Jesus perhaps knew the timing of His return, but in any case this is an important verse to remember, all the more as it feels like “end times” are upon us. Even in New Testament days there were some who were claiming “the resurrection has already taken place,” (2 Timothy 2:18) and getting people all stirred up. The point for us is not to set up timelines and try to figure out where we are in Revelation, but to live each day as though it would be the day of Christ’s return. As Jesus Himself said right after this, “It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” (Matthew 24:46) After all, none of us knows how long we will be on this earth, regardless of when the Lord returns. Diseases generally give us some warning, but there are countless ways to die suddenly, as the recent submersible incident demonstrated. The biggest point of this whole chapter to me is actually in the very next verses, that I didn’t include in today’s reading: we aren’t going to have any more warning than people did in the days of Noah. They too were told that they were violating God’s rules, that they needed to “straighten up and fly right,” but they ignored the warnings. We need to live each day as though it were our last on this earth, keeping our eyes and our allegiance on our Lord in full, loving obedience. If we will do that, we have absolutely nothing to be anxious about!

This is the attitude I think I must have been raised with, though I can’t remember my parents ever saying anything about Christ’s return. I have known people, even some fairly close friends, who were obsessed with this and were always using charts and timelines and the like. It has always saddened me, because to me it takes the focus off of what we are to be doing right now. I wish I could say I were 100% faithful, that any given moment I am doing exactly what my Lord desires of me, but that is at least my goal. In a sense you could say that goal is inherited. The inscription on my father’s tombstone is, very appropriately, “To do the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38) So long as that is my heart cry, I have no other concerns.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your plans for my remaining time on this earth, however long that might be. Thank You that my cataract surgery yesterday seems to have gone well, though it was surprisingly painful because of my insensitivity to anesthesia. I pray that my recovery would go smoothly and that the doctor would remember and use more, or stronger, anesthesia for my left eye! I pray that both of my eyes, and the rest of my body, would be fully useful in doing Your will for as long as I need them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!