“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
(Matthew 24:42, NIV84)
(Matthew 24:42, NIV84)
"An Arab chief tells the story of a spy captured and sentenced to death by a general in the Persian army. This general had the strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and “the big, black door.” The moment for execution drew near, and guards brought the spy to the Persian general, “What will it be,” asked the general, “the firing squad or ‘the big, black door?’”
The spy hesitated for a long time. Finally he chose the firing squad. A few minutes later, hearing the shots ring out confirming the spy’s execution, the general turned to his aide and said, "They always prefer the known to the unknown. People fear what they don’t know. Yet, we gave him a choice.”
“What lies beyond the big door?” asked the aide.
“Freedom,” replied the general. “I’ve known only a few brave enough to take that door.”
The best opportunities in our lives stand behind the forbidding door of the great unknown." (Don McCullough, Solana Beach, California, quoted in Leadership, Winter Quarter, 1992, p. 5)
Life is full of uncertainties. None of us knew a year ago that there would be large-scale lockdowns of this country due to Covid-19. Many families had not prepared for the financial damage that lockdowns would produce. Hospitals and Nursing Homes had not filled stockpiles of needed masks. Even the Center for Disease Control vacillated on its mandates at times, as if it didn’t know which methods to combat the virus were the best choice. In a response to the pandemic, many people experienced paranoia, worry, fear, and a range of emotions. Some apologized later for falling apart while quarantined. People respond differently to the unknown. Some respond with fear or hesitancy. Some face it head-on. Some take a “wait and see” attitude. How do you respond to the unknown, to uncertainty?
A newspaper publisher sent an urgent telegram to a noted astronomer. The newspaper was doing an important series of articles on the possible future exploration of the planet Mars. To compliment the articles, the publisher wanted the astronomer to add his knowledge to the information. The publisher asked the astronomer in the telegram whether there was life on Mars. The publisher demanded 500 words on the topic. The astronomer replied with “Nobody knows.” He wrote the sentence 250 times! (Carl Sagan, Cosmos).
There are many things in this world that can only be explained with “Nobody knows!”. There are so many uncertainties. We still don’t know what lies in the deepest recesses of the Pacific Ocean! We can only guess at how certain genes affect each other in the human body. In Quantum Physics, there are even contradictions in the science that binds the universe together. The most learned scholars can only guess at what might be happening at subatomic levels!
In your time on this earth, you will have to make decisions without all the facts. You will have to choose a direction even when you don’t know the outcome of your decisions. You will have to choose between one job and another without knowing all the intricacies of the situation. You may have to choose whom to marry without knowing whether that person will be forever faithful! Even in your spiritual life, there will be times of uncertainty. You may not understand a feeling you have when you pray. You may not know why a spiritual situation has changed. You may not understand God’s plan and purpose in a child’s death. You may not know which direction God wants you to go.
When faced with doubts and uncertainties, today’s scripture should help. The words of Matthew 24:42 captured a statement of Jesus about the end times. Jesus said, “…keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” You will not know when or why God will choose a perfect moment to come into your life. You don’t know how Jesus will return in the End Times. You can’t say whether Jesus will come powerfully to you in a prayer tonight. You don’t know if the Holy Spirit will fill you with peace this Sunday during worship. So, how do you proceed without knowing all the answers? Jesus gives you direction with the first phrase of the verse for today, “keep watch”! When you don’t have answers, just watch for God’s direction. Feel for God’s guiding hand. Spend time in the company of the Holy Spirit in prayer. Watch for any sign God may give about the way in which you need to go. You may not know all the steps you need to take to eternal life, but God will often point you one step at a time toward the direction of Heaven!
So, when life gets crazy and you don’t have enough answers, keep watch for God! Look for God’s leaning. Seek God’s voice. Follow the Holy Spirit. Let the Bible inform your days. Trust that at the right time, God will show you exactly what you need to know.
The spy hesitated for a long time. Finally he chose the firing squad. A few minutes later, hearing the shots ring out confirming the spy’s execution, the general turned to his aide and said, "They always prefer the known to the unknown. People fear what they don’t know. Yet, we gave him a choice.”
“What lies beyond the big door?” asked the aide.
“Freedom,” replied the general. “I’ve known only a few brave enough to take that door.”
The best opportunities in our lives stand behind the forbidding door of the great unknown." (Don McCullough, Solana Beach, California, quoted in Leadership, Winter Quarter, 1992, p. 5)
Life is full of uncertainties. None of us knew a year ago that there would be large-scale lockdowns of this country due to Covid-19. Many families had not prepared for the financial damage that lockdowns would produce. Hospitals and Nursing Homes had not filled stockpiles of needed masks. Even the Center for Disease Control vacillated on its mandates at times, as if it didn’t know which methods to combat the virus were the best choice. In a response to the pandemic, many people experienced paranoia, worry, fear, and a range of emotions. Some apologized later for falling apart while quarantined. People respond differently to the unknown. Some respond with fear or hesitancy. Some face it head-on. Some take a “wait and see” attitude. How do you respond to the unknown, to uncertainty?
A newspaper publisher sent an urgent telegram to a noted astronomer. The newspaper was doing an important series of articles on the possible future exploration of the planet Mars. To compliment the articles, the publisher wanted the astronomer to add his knowledge to the information. The publisher asked the astronomer in the telegram whether there was life on Mars. The publisher demanded 500 words on the topic. The astronomer replied with “Nobody knows.” He wrote the sentence 250 times! (Carl Sagan, Cosmos).
There are many things in this world that can only be explained with “Nobody knows!”. There are so many uncertainties. We still don’t know what lies in the deepest recesses of the Pacific Ocean! We can only guess at how certain genes affect each other in the human body. In Quantum Physics, there are even contradictions in the science that binds the universe together. The most learned scholars can only guess at what might be happening at subatomic levels!
In your time on this earth, you will have to make decisions without all the facts. You will have to choose a direction even when you don’t know the outcome of your decisions. You will have to choose between one job and another without knowing all the intricacies of the situation. You may have to choose whom to marry without knowing whether that person will be forever faithful! Even in your spiritual life, there will be times of uncertainty. You may not understand a feeling you have when you pray. You may not know why a spiritual situation has changed. You may not understand God’s plan and purpose in a child’s death. You may not know which direction God wants you to go.
When faced with doubts and uncertainties, today’s scripture should help. The words of Matthew 24:42 captured a statement of Jesus about the end times. Jesus said, “…keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” You will not know when or why God will choose a perfect moment to come into your life. You don’t know how Jesus will return in the End Times. You can’t say whether Jesus will come powerfully to you in a prayer tonight. You don’t know if the Holy Spirit will fill you with peace this Sunday during worship. So, how do you proceed without knowing all the answers? Jesus gives you direction with the first phrase of the verse for today, “keep watch”! When you don’t have answers, just watch for God’s direction. Feel for God’s guiding hand. Spend time in the company of the Holy Spirit in prayer. Watch for any sign God may give about the way in which you need to go. You may not know all the steps you need to take to eternal life, but God will often point you one step at a time toward the direction of Heaven!
So, when life gets crazy and you don’t have enough answers, keep watch for God! Look for God’s leaning. Seek God’s voice. Follow the Holy Spirit. Let the Bible inform your days. Trust that at the right time, God will show you exactly what you need to know.