Luke 17, Mark 13:33-37

While in college did you ever take a pop quiz? If not, picture this, you walk into class during syllabus week and the professor says that the exams in the course will come at random, that students must stay ready for an exam to come at any point. Or maybe you are currently a professional, think about a situation where you are told the highest person in your company is coming sometime this week but you don't know when they might stop by. In either of these situations, you are likely inclined to stay ready at all times because you do not know when the exam or the high ranking person will come. You must be ready for the exam, or ready to impress your boss. 

Jesus tells us that we are not going to know when his return will occur. It is not as if we can go on living our life the way we want it to get prepared a year or so before he returns, we have no idea. Therefore, we need to be ready, stay ready, to encounter Christ and leave everything behind to go with him. 

The idea of faith comes to mind, or running the race set before us. Life is long, the world is broken, idols and opportunities will call your name, temptations will arise, but we must keep our eyes faithfully set on Christ. It is important to distinguish that this is not a call to works so that you can perform for a boss or do well on an exam, the idea is purely to be ready for the return of Christ. I pray that the state of our faith and our pursuit of Christ and the path set before us as Christians is what Jesus calls us to. When it is time, leave everything behind and go with him. 

I pray we the Church stay faithful, run the race set before us, and readily and joyfully respond at the return of Christ.