Watch for Him
“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” Revelation 16:15
We live in a time when most Christians believe Jesus is coming back to get us, sometime very soon. We don’t know the day or the hour, but we can discern that the time is near because of the signs around us and the events that scriptures foretold that are unfolding even today. We can get caught up in the debates about nobody knows the time or consider the controversies of the perilous times we live in. But there is one thing we can know for sure . . . we are closer to that day than ever before in history.
I actually remember the first time I heard that Jesus was coming back to get His people. I was only twelve years old and it terrified me. I read in Revelation 19 how He would come on a white horse with eyes of fire and many crowns on His head. He will wear a robe dipped in blood and the armies of heaven will follow Him on white horses. He has a sword in His mouth and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. It was quite an overwhelming picture for a twelve year old girl. However, now in this time that same passage inspires me and I long to see the day of His return!
In today’s reading, the apostle John wrote about a special blessing for those who are watching for Jesus’ return. This is not the return to get His bride before the great tribulation starts. This is His return when He comes to set up His kingdom here in the world. However, I believe there is a blessing for those who are watching now. The blessing is in the desire to see Him come. As we anticipate His return to take us to heaven, it is a great blessing and thrill to know that we will be with Him and also that we will escape that terrible time to come on the earth.
2 Timothy 4:8 says Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. We are promised a crown of righteousness if we love His appearing and coming for us. In Revelation 16, the kings of the earth will gather together to fight the Lord of glory, but the will fail. They are no match for His great power. He will simply speak and defeat all the armies of all the world.
Today I want to encourage you to think about the Lord’s return. What a great day that will be. Let it sink in that He loves you so much that He has made a plan to take you out of the treacherous times to come. He will not let you suffer like those who don’t believe, and He will not leave you here to navigate the perilous times of the great tribulation. Spend some time thanking Him for His great plan and that He has secured your place as one who will escape. Then continue to do these things until they grow up in your heart and your greatest desire becomes to meet Him in the clouds one day soon!
Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 16:12-16
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
The Daily Dose 