Luke 21:34-36 - Be Vigilant

Luke made it explicitly clear that everything Christ had said will come to pass. Every word of His will be fulfilled. With that, the Lord then turned to call believers to stay watchful and ready. Why? Because there are two erroneous views we can adopt:

·     Be overly obsessed with the imminence of His second coming that we become impractical in our daily living

·   Be indifferent, careless, relax and lethargic about our spiritual lives, thinking that His return seems to be afar off, because certain signs have yet to happen.   

So from Mount Olive, where His return would take place, the Lord issued the call for us to be vigilant and watchful. As believers, we must not be so intoxicated with earthly and secular matter, that lead us to living life as if it will go on forever here. Because life on earth will not go on indefinitely.

Christ's precise words to us are found in verse 34. “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come upon you suddenly like a trap..." Instead of being just consumed with the cares of this life and be fretful, Christ tells us to be alert and prayerful. We must take time to seek Him and find His strength to overcome the daily demands of life. We must pray for strength to escape all the impending disasters. And we must make it our goal to finally stand before the Son of Man, spotless and whole.

Where is our sight fixed on daily?                                                                        
    
Mabel J. Camp wrote:
Lift up your heads, pilgrims aweary,
See day’s approach now crimson the sky;
Night shadows flee, and your Beloved,
Awaited with longing, at last draweth nigh.

He is coming again, He is coming again,
The very same Jesus, rejected of men;
He is coming again, He is coming again,
With power and great glory, He is coming again!

Dark was the night, sin warred against us;
Heavy the load of sorrow we bore;
But now we see signs of His coming;
Our hearts glow within us, joy’s cup runneth o’er!

O blessèd hope! O blissful promise!
Filling our hearts with rapture divine;
O day of days! Hail Thy appearing!
Thy transcendent glory forever shall shine.

Even so, come, precious Lord Jesus;
Creation waits redemption to see;
Caught up in clouds, soon we shall meet Thee;
O blessèd assurance, forever with Thee!