1st Friday of Advent (December 5) Keep awake and ready

Prepare to listen.  About that day and hour no one knows, but only the Father.
 
Prayerfully Read Matthew 24:36-44
36‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.  40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.  41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.  42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.  43But 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.  44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
Jesus frequently commands us to “keep awake” and “be ready.”  Why do you think he did so?

Twice Jesus warned that no one, not even the Son, knows when “your Lord is coming” (vv. 36 and 42) and once that it will be “at an unexpected hour” (v. 44).  Despite these warnings, some still claim to know the hour and day Jesus will return, and some still believe them.  They’ve failed to take Jesus at his word when he said that no one, not even himself, knows.
 
Others hear the warnings, but, like Noah’s generation, respond with an apathetic whatever.  They know nothing, refusing to believe anything bad will happen to them and so fail to repent and change.  Others take comfort in a misguided belief that Jesus will miraculously pull them out of the “fields” and “meal grinding” (classrooms, offices, factories or farms) and take them safely to himself.  They think they’re prepared and easily become complacent, ignoring Jesus’ words.
 
To avoid both an apathetic whatever and a complacent I’m ok, we must take Jesus’ two commands, keep awake and be ready, to heart.  They belong together.  We must use our minds and discern truth from lies, remain informed about Jesus and about ourselves so we live faithfully and reject the false prophets who claim to speak God’s word, but don’t.  We must do what we can to prepare ourselves so that we’re not caught off guard when “the thief” comes.  Jesus, like a thief will come at an unexpected hour.  Therefore, says Jesus, be ready.  Be prepared for the unexpected.
 
What can you do today to keep awake and be ready for the unexpected and surprising coming of Christ this Advent?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord Jesus, I confess that I sometimes respond with an apathetic, whatever in order to avoid preparation for whatever comes.  Increase my diligence to keep awake and be ready.  Amen.
 
Live Obediently.  Keep awake and be ready.