Being Ready
Matthew 24:36-44
While the end came suddenly for many, the signs were there for a long time.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” - Matthew 24:36-44
It is a good thing that Noah lived a very long time, since he got word to build the ark when he was about five hundred years old, and it could have taken a hundred years to build.
Jesus makes a point that people were going about their business without preparing for the flood, presumably because they had no idea God was planning this. But some would have noticed what Noah was up to.
Stories of a significant flood that destroys humanity but saves a small number go way back to Mesopotamia, with Utnapishtim being told to build a boat by his god Ea.
Similar stories exist in many cultures across the ages, from the Greeks, Hindus, Chinese, and Native Americans. So, is the story true? Did a devastating flood destroy most of humanity and nearly all life?
Whether it did or didn;t happen, the legends were very real across the world, so what Jesus is warning has a basis in tradition, a solid foundation on which the people could lean to comprehend the urgency Jesus is addressing.
The end will come, either a big, catastrophic ending or our own demise. It will come, and we will not be prepared for it.
It is our very nature to believe we have a future. Without that faith in our own existence, we would be morose and accomplish nothing with our lives.
We need to deny our mortality in order to make it through the day. So, is it wise to be afraid of the end?
Jesus says we must be ready. That doesn’t mean we need to stop what we are doing and build a bunker in the woods somewhere. It doesn’t mean we should stock up on food in our basements, though we could do that for other reasons.
It means we should live our lives as if this day is our last, not from the perspective of squandering all we have on a big party, but from the perspective of being ready for the end to come by being at peace with God.
The proverbial bus that could hit us when we cross the street doesn’t care if we have finished our project or want to go to our child’s wedding. It doesn’t care if we were planning to put our lives in order tomorrow.
Being ready means living in a state of grace. God’s grace is unearned, but we can live as though we are ready to meet God, without baggage or regrets.
Whether the flood actually happened or not, the message is clear. Get your sh*t together. The day will come when we run out of time to do it at the last minute.
More to come...
Yes!