"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly, He find you sleeping" (Mark 13:35-36).
That was indeed a sad December morning almost 65 years ago when a Japanese aerial attack caught most of the American naval personnel sleeping at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and almost destroyed the Pacific fleet. It led us into the terrible Second World War, and for a while it almost seemed as if the American nation itself was doomed.
We eventually won a great victory, of course, but it cost many, many wonderful young lives (including a number of this writer's students, as well as his own younger brother). It is well that we "Remember Pearl Harbor" on December 7 each year, and resolve that it will not happen again.
But it is even more important that we remember every day the promise of the Lord Jesus that He is coming back one of these days! Perhaps today! So, it is important that we daily "abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (I John 2:28).
The Lord has left us with many such exhortations. For example, take a quick glance at a few of them (in addition to that in our text):
- "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44).
- "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 25:13).
- "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is" (Mark 13:33).
May God help us to "love His appearing" (II Timothy 4:8) and be ready! HMM
