Scripture Daily

Context No. 3488 of 4322 · Luke

Context · Reflection

Luke 12:35-40: in context

35“Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning. 36Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast, that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. 37Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them. 38They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so. 39But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

Jesus calls his followers to a posture of constant readiness: stay dressed for action, keep your lamps burning, be like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding feast, ready to open the door the moment he knocks. The point is watchfulness. The master could come at any hour, and the faithful servant is the one found ready whenever he comes.

And there is a beautiful, surprising promise. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes, for he will dress himself for service, have them recline at table, and come and wait on them. The master serves the watchful servants! Christ, the returning Lord, will honor and serve those who have faithfully waited for him. So Jesus says, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. To live ready, watching, and faithful in the time of his absence, is to be found blessed, and served, when at last he comes.

Am I living in a posture of readiness, watching faithfully for my Lord's return, so that whenever he comes I will be found ready and awake?

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