Has someone ever shown up at your house when it wasn’t clean? Perhaps you met them at the door and stepped outside to talk to them.
How did it make you feel that you could not invite that person into your home without them seeing the mess you created?
Can you think of other times when you were caught in awkward circumstances?
You may remember my mentioning in the past that we once lived in two states. When we were looking for a home in southern Maryland, we saw a lovely town home. It had fog in all the windows. The moisture crept in between the window pains because the seals were broken. We finally settled on another lovely town home.
Our one story home in North Carolina sits on a gracious almost 2 acres of land. Woods line the back of the property and fence and shrubs run down the sides. Our boys loved to romp and play and wrestle all in fun in the great outdoors.
The town home in Maryland sat on a small lot. The boys found it a challenge. So did I! As our 10 and 12 year olds came crashing down on their knees on the floor of the second story of our lovely home, I could hear panes of glass rattle in every window from my place on sofa by the front door. I just knew they were going to bust every seal in every window. I’d yell out, “Hey!” at the top of my lungs to get my voice over their laughter.
It became my ongoing hope that none of the neighbors from any of the other 17 town homes within a rock’s throw would hear me yelling, “Hey!” I knew that anyone passing by our home those first few weeks would have thought that I yelled at the kids on a frequent and ongoing basis.
What if Jesus showed up right now in your life? Would you be embarrassed by what you are doing? Remember, He can come in an instant.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
LIFE APPLICATION
Today’s challenge is to take a look at what you are doing right now. Consider all the “right now’s.” What were you doing earlier today? What will you be doing later today? Is that something you would want to be doing if Jesus showed up right at that moment?
Maybe you would not want Jesus to see you doing some of the things you are doing. Here’s a thought, Jesus knows what you are doing any way.
Christians are the “body of Christ.” We should be acting that way. We are to be salt and light.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Matthew 5:13-14