Watch

Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. —1 Thessalonians 5: 6

In His letter to the church of Sardis, Jesus said, “Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3: 3).

We must be watching for the return of Christ. Over and over, when Jesus spoke to His disciples about His coming, He said, “Watch.” If you watch for the return of Jesus Christ, it will not take you as a thief in the night, coming to spoil your goods. The world around us is in darkness. It is not even aware of the signs of His return. Ignorant of the things of God and of the Word of God, the world goes on, business as usual.

**We can’t afford to be blind or ignorant.

As children of God we must walk in the light. That means we need to recognize the times in which we live and walk circumspectly—not in darkness or in ignorance of the close return of our Lord. As God children, we must not be caught sleeping, but must be watching for His return with eagerness. We are to be watching for signs, and we won’t recognize those signs if we are not aware of what is happening around us. Jesus said, “When these things [calamities, violence, wars, moral breakdown, social disorder] begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21: 28). It is time today to be looking up, to be watching, to be sober—for Jesus is coming soon for His church.

Father, in these days of darkness, may we be sustained by the hope of Your coming. Come quickly, Lord. Maranatha!