Just Be Ready
Read This Week: Matthew 24
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. – Matthew 24:36 & 42-46 NIV
James Clear, the author of the best-selling book, Atomic Habits, said this about how important daily growth and consistency can be to a successful life. He wrote, “It is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis.” Clear’s assertion is that we are better served by daily faithfulness to doing things the right way versus looking for and trying to take advantage of one big moment. Christ was ahead of the curve on this idea in Matthew 24 by stressing a readiness for the big God moment by being vigilant, wise, and faithful every day.
Earlier in the passage, Jesus was speaking about the destruction of the temple and the signs of the end. His teaching builds a sense of understanding about the kingdom and the urgency and priority of the mission. The apocalyptic and revelatory language that Jesus uses in verses 1-32 serves to point his followers and listeners to increase their faith not only when things get big or challenging but at all times. He desires for Christians to use wisdom and be mindful of the will of God every day as they wait on the end of their life or the return of the Lord. He says in verse 35: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Constant readiness and daily wisdom, faith, and preparation are at the crux of the message. Readiness is the operative word as the believer does not know when their time is up. So they should always be ready to serve God, steward their talents and gifts, love and care for others, and make a difference for the gospel in the world.
The word servant in verse 45 also means steward or one who properly takes care of or uses something that belongs to another. While we are here on earth serving Jesus and waiting for our appointed time, we are to be faithful and watchful stewards of what God has given us. Christians do not have to possess all the answers or know what will specifically happen at the end. But we must be ready each day to be faithful and wise as we grow in our devotion, build our character, communicate the gospel, and make an impact on a lost world.
The servants of God in this passage are watchful, prepared, and ready consistently to be found faithful in the work of the Lord. The same expectation is there for us today. Our concern should not be with the seemingly big moments, what will happen in them, or what we are doing in comparison to others. Instead, we must be wise to faithfully take care of our life and use it for the glory of Christ, to be ready to let our light shine in the Holy Spirit’s power in our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces each day.
Jesus said it will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. When a new morning dawns for the follower of Christ, no matter what lies ahead, the message is to just be ready.
I believe it’s important every day to get to know father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit because we never know when it’s our time to go home to be with them. Revelation 19:11-16 talks about Jesus coming back on a white horse to get us if we’re not already there, but until then I believe we’re supposed to help each other get ready bless each other, encourage one another to be ready just in case today is the day.
There have been three ladies who have gone home to be with Jesus since September 1. I was blessed to be a part of their lives, to encourage them about their relationship with God. One, in particular, has encouraged me and blessed me over the years. She was a great servant for God’s call and that’s how God wants all of us to not only be ready for when he comes but to help others be ready too.
This is a really great song that goes with this chapter. Hope you enjoy it!
https://youtu.be/REc6uRQRnV0
Thank you for sharing this word and for also sharing the testimony of the lady who is with the Lord. There is no greater testimony of God’s grace and His saving power than a changed life and one lived consistently over time for the glory of Christ. We can all have that same impact if we are, as you said, a faithful servant for God’s call and an encourager of others.
Thank you for the song as well! It has such a good message and one that I’ve always found inspiring.
I have a poem this week from Matthew 24 verse 35:
When I think about when the earth will be no more
Into the word of God, I go digging deeper to explore.
I find throughout the pages, the warnings God has given us to seek his face
But I see for generations man’s rebellion against God‘s ways.
I come upon the verses when God knew what He had to do
So He sent His begotten Son to bring salvation to me and you.
As I think that the old heaven will be no more
I think about the new earth and all for us it has in store.
What that means to me is that we know that somewhere in the future, the heaven and earth will pass away. We read that we will have a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus is the word of God. He is also eternal. By this, we know the word is eternal.
This is another great offering of artistic worship to God, Jeri. It is a strong exhortation to believers to stay focused on seeking God’s face, knowing Him through the Word, and being ready to not only be diligent to His mission but for His imminent return. This was my favorite stanza:
I come upon the verses when God knew what He had to do
So He sent His begotten Son to bring salvation to me and you.
On Sunday, God drew my attention to Mathew 24 v 2, But He answered them, Do you see these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.
And He was saying to me, “My son all things that are built by man will soon come to pass. But My love will stand forever. So build your Temple on Me and it will last for eternity.”
What that means to me is do not build yourself up in the world’s ways. For they will all come to pass. But build your temple upon the Lord and it and it will last for eternity
This is good spiritual and practical wisdom that we all need to hear on a regular basis, Sam. We need a constant check-up on the things that pass away and the things that will last forever. When we are reorientated to the differences between what is temporal and eternal, we can base our lives on the things that will echo in eternity.
This week in Matthew 24, God gave me a song called “Being Ready”:
Let’s be ready, let’s be ready, let’s be ready and stand together in our faith
Don’t be afraid, our Father is with us
Many pretenders will stray
And do their own thing, their way
Just remember our Father is near
Sometimes we change or simply get off track
Just remember God is always there
He never gets mad and never changes
Let’s be ready, let’s be ready, let’s be ready and stand together in our faith. Amen.
Thank you, God, for always being there. I’m blessed to be loved by you and know you’re always there rooting me on. I’ll stand with you always.
I love this, Alma. It is a rallying cry worship song for us as believers to renew our faith in God and trust Him in our readiness. As you said, “Our Father is near and sometimes we change or simply get off track but He is always there. He never gets mad and never changes.”
These are wonderful truths and promises for us to hold on to and to also be motivated by to be ready to serve and be on mission with God. He never changes, he is always there and is always gracious, faithful, and merciful to us. Your song reminded me of another one called “Ready for You” and part of it goes like this:
We are living for
The glory of the Lord,
Hearts are open wide,
We’re ready for you
There’s nothing we want more
You’re all that we adore
Jesus, here we are
Ready for you
With hands held high,
Be glorified,
Our hearts will cry
That was a beautiful song. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful week.
I’m so glad you liked it, Alma! Thank you for all the ways you bless others. Have a wonderful week as well.
Before the end, the gospel will go out to the whole world. The general downgrade of society will not prevent the spread of the gospel. When I pour My wrath out on a God rejecting world, it will truly be great tribulation. No one should be deceived. Jesus coming back will not be in secret or private, but as plain as lightning that flashes across the sky. My Sons coming will be terrifying for the ungodly. You do not want to be a part of the ungodly. You must continue coming to Me and spending time so that you will be prepared.
Fill your mind up with what is in the gospel. Repent and come back to Me. My followers must be on constant guard for Christ coming back. You must carry on with diligence, and be that “wise and faithful servant”, while the Master is away. You will also be rewarded for your diligence. The most dangerous lie of Satan is “there is no hurry.” You need to be ready for the return of Christ.
What that says to me is that the return of Jesus Christ is inevitable. I am to quit giving in to worldly pleasures and truly serve my Master. I need to continue to focus on spreading the gospel.
There are so many great truths and principles in your post that lead to readiness and preparedness for us as we walk the path with Christ and live every day. This thought really stood out to me initially that certainly instills confidence to stay ready and on mission: The general downgrade of society will not prevent the spread of the gospel.
The kingdom of God is always advancing and nothing in our lives or the world can stop it. This gives us an impetus to stay the course when it looks like things are going downhill or bleak. This truth and promise, along with the understanding that God is imminent and all-powerful, gives us the spiritual motivation to, as you say, serve our Master and continue to focus on spreading the gospel.