As I stepped out of the Hosea Kutako airport in Namibia, one of my first questions was what the security situation was like in the country. Being one who had been drilled with all sorts of personal security training, I couldn't have missed that question. If for nothing, to know by how much I would need to hug the company jewel I was carrying. The tour guide assured me of the security in the country to be about eighty percent, except I found myself in dangerous corners at night. With this information I relaxed and proceeded to the office of an accommodation agent.
On arrival at the office of the agent, there was this huge iron gate and an intercom at the side of the gate with which they query a visitor. I went through the routine and waited a while, then an old lady walked up to the gate and opened it with the keys in her hand. A bit perplexed at the effort on security, we followed her to yet another iron barricade which she opened to let us into a rather simple office. The office doubled as a showroom for a few mattresses and bedsheets on sale. I finished paying for my accommodation and we followed the same pattern to exit the office premises; waiting for the old lady to open the gates with the keys in her hand. The tour guide couldn't help but ask the question I mused over in my mind, "why this much security?" The lady replied simply, "... to prevent anyone from stealing the mattresses or bedsheets", and I went, "WOW", also spelt on my facial expression.
Matthew 24:43 throws light on this observation however. If the master knew when the thief would come, he would stay awake and keep watch, but the Namibian company did not know when the thief would come, so they resorted to being on constant watch. In order not to be caught unawares, they perpetually stayed on their guard in a country where the likelihood of such occurrence was negligible.
Likewise we do not know the time when Christ will return to gather those who keep faith in Him, else we would prepare ourselves quickly, forgive quickly, do restitution quickly, become holy quickly, in preparation for Him. He therefore prods us in Matthew 24:44 {So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him}
Like our Namibian friends, let's give ourselves to constant watch as the event could occur when we do not expect, despite how remote it seems. Let's pay attention to the Holy Spirit and ask for help to stay on guard for the unexpected.
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On arrival at the office of the agent, there was this huge iron gate and an intercom at the side of the gate with which they query a visitor. I went through the routine and waited a while, then an old lady walked up to the gate and opened it with the keys in her hand. A bit perplexed at the effort on security, we followed her to yet another iron barricade which she opened to let us into a rather simple office. The office doubled as a showroom for a few mattresses and bedsheets on sale. I finished paying for my accommodation and we followed the same pattern to exit the office premises; waiting for the old lady to open the gates with the keys in her hand. The tour guide couldn't help but ask the question I mused over in my mind, "why this much security?" The lady replied simply, "... to prevent anyone from stealing the mattresses or bedsheets", and I went, "WOW", also spelt on my facial expression.
Matthew 24:43 throws light on this observation however. If the master knew when the thief would come, he would stay awake and keep watch, but the Namibian company did not know when the thief would come, so they resorted to being on constant watch. In order not to be caught unawares, they perpetually stayed on their guard in a country where the likelihood of such occurrence was negligible.
Likewise we do not know the time when Christ will return to gather those who keep faith in Him, else we would prepare ourselves quickly, forgive quickly, do restitution quickly, become holy quickly, in preparation for Him. He therefore prods us in Matthew 24:44 {So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him}
Like our Namibian friends, let's give ourselves to constant watch as the event could occur when we do not expect, despite how remote it seems. Let's pay attention to the Holy Spirit and ask for help to stay on guard for the unexpected.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" Matt 24:42-44