Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Revelation 3:3
When Timothy first joined the army, he was so excited. He knew he was fighting an important war. Above all, his heart was thrilled at the thought of serving underneath his captain -- the one who had saved his life and enlisted him in the arm.
His enthusiasm bubbled over into everything he did and to everyone he met. What-ever task he was assigned == whether big or small -- Timothy had attacked with joy and devotion. He might not see how, but he knew the drills and tasks before him were all part of a larger picture -- more than anything he could envision. Otherwise, the captain wouldn't have assigned them. He knew that when the war was over the captain would take all to live in the new kingdom together.
When other soldiers annoyed him, Timothy would let their words simply fall off his shoulders. The enemy would like nothing more than to get them to waste their energies with anger for one another. Timothy was a soldier with a mission. He knew why he was there, whom he was serving and where he was going. That knowledge put a joy and delight into everything that he did.
Weeks went by -- then months -- even years and Timothy gradually lost sight of the big picture. He like so many of his fellow soldiers, got caught up in just making it from day to day. While he still did his drills and tasks, he did them as a tired man who was just checking off a box. Worse still, he began to be critical and cynical of the others.
Timothy was no longer a soldier with a mission. He lost sight of his goals, more sadly he lost sight of what his captain had done for him and why he was fighting the war. He became complacent and unconcerned and eventually he was unable to fight. He found himself exposed and defenseless to the enemy.
The captain's words of love and devotion went unheeded and ignored. All to soon -- Timothy drifted aimlessly and without direction. Sorrowfully, he was no longer recognized as the soldier he once was, Timothy seemed to just meld with his adversaries.
The captain knew it was time to "sound the alarm" for the condition of his troops was desperate. Perhaps there was some true life in his soldiers yet -- but you wouldn't know it by looking at their busywork; for nothing of God's work had been completed. He wondered who would hear it -- who would grasp it and who would turn back to him.
If we as Christians continue to pull the covers over our heads -- if we continue to intermingle with the enemy, oblivious to God, Jesus will return when we least expect it and he will break into our lives like a thief in the night.
We need to ask, "Are we truly ready to meet the Lord when He returns? Will He recognize us immediately or will we appear to much like the world?
A song comes to mind and for me... well is says it all:
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy Name.
Search me, O God and know my heart today.
Try me O Savior, know my thoughts I pray.
See if there be, some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, Revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me.
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.
When Timothy first joined the army, he was so excited. He knew he was fighting an important war. Above all, his heart was thrilled at the thought of serving underneath his captain -- the one who had saved his life and enlisted him in the arm.
His enthusiasm bubbled over into everything he did and to everyone he met. What-ever task he was assigned == whether big or small -- Timothy had attacked with joy and devotion. He might not see how, but he knew the drills and tasks before him were all part of a larger picture -- more than anything he could envision. Otherwise, the captain wouldn't have assigned them. He knew that when the war was over the captain would take all to live in the new kingdom together.
When other soldiers annoyed him, Timothy would let their words simply fall off his shoulders. The enemy would like nothing more than to get them to waste their energies with anger for one another. Timothy was a soldier with a mission. He knew why he was there, whom he was serving and where he was going. That knowledge put a joy and delight into everything that he did.
Weeks went by -- then months -- even years and Timothy gradually lost sight of the big picture. He like so many of his fellow soldiers, got caught up in just making it from day to day. While he still did his drills and tasks, he did them as a tired man who was just checking off a box. Worse still, he began to be critical and cynical of the others.
Timothy was no longer a soldier with a mission. He lost sight of his goals, more sadly he lost sight of what his captain had done for him and why he was fighting the war. He became complacent and unconcerned and eventually he was unable to fight. He found himself exposed and defenseless to the enemy.
The captain's words of love and devotion went unheeded and ignored. All to soon -- Timothy drifted aimlessly and without direction. Sorrowfully, he was no longer recognized as the soldier he once was, Timothy seemed to just meld with his adversaries.
The captain knew it was time to "sound the alarm" for the condition of his troops was desperate. Perhaps there was some true life in his soldiers yet -- but you wouldn't know it by looking at their busywork; for nothing of God's work had been completed. He wondered who would hear it -- who would grasp it and who would turn back to him.
If we as Christians continue to pull the covers over our heads -- if we continue to intermingle with the enemy, oblivious to God, Jesus will return when we least expect it and he will break into our lives like a thief in the night.
We need to ask, "Are we truly ready to meet the Lord when He returns? Will He recognize us immediately or will we appear to much like the world?
A song comes to mind and for me... well is says it all:
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy Name.
Search me, O God and know my heart today.
Try me O Savior, know my thoughts I pray.
See if there be, some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, Revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me.
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.
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