The day and the hour unknown
This is written by Kirstine Robb. She is the Community Pastor at St Mary's.
Mark 13:32-37
The day and hour unknown
32 'But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 'Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back - whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: "Watch!"'
32 'But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 'Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back - whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: "Watch!"'
Reflection
Right at the start of this passage we read how no one other than God knows when Jesus will return and we are told to be alert and watch.
Patience isn't a life skill that I have in abundance. I am someone who loves to be busy. If I have to wait for something, then I tend to become a grump to be around. I like that at a click of a button I can order something and have it turn up the next day, I enjoy the fast nature of living in a city with lots to explore - it really works well for my spontaneous personality (most of the time!) However, spending daily time with God is something that I have to work on. It can far too easily slip down my list of important things to do even though I know it is what I need most.
In this passage, I think Jesus is telling his disciples to be ready for His return. It isn't about sitting around and watching the sky for Him coming back but to get on with spreading the gospel and being open to the Spirit. This baton has been passed on to us as Christians. We know that one day Jesus will return, we just don't know when so how do we make sure that we are ready for His return? One of the ways we can do this is to spend daily time with God and to ask him to use us and to be continually refilled with the Spirit.
Pray
Take some time today away from the busyness of your life, find a place where it can be just you and God and ask the Holy Spirit to refill you.
Patience isn't a life skill that I have in abundance. I am someone who loves to be busy. If I have to wait for something, then I tend to become a grump to be around. I like that at a click of a button I can order something and have it turn up the next day, I enjoy the fast nature of living in a city with lots to explore - it really works well for my spontaneous personality (most of the time!) However, spending daily time with God is something that I have to work on. It can far too easily slip down my list of important things to do even though I know it is what I need most.
In this passage, I think Jesus is telling his disciples to be ready for His return. It isn't about sitting around and watching the sky for Him coming back but to get on with spreading the gospel and being open to the Spirit. This baton has been passed on to us as Christians. We know that one day Jesus will return, we just don't know when so how do we make sure that we are ready for His return? One of the ways we can do this is to spend daily time with God and to ask him to use us and to be continually refilled with the Spirit.
Pray
Take some time today away from the busyness of your life, find a place where it can be just you and God and ask the Holy Spirit to refill you.
Posted in The Gospel of Mark
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