Daily Reading: Mark 13
Scripture Focus: Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. (Mark 13:35-36)
Devotional Thought: Jesus told his disciples that one day "The Son of Man will come in clouds with great power and glory, and send the angels to gather His elect from the ends of the earth" (vv. 26, 27).
No one - not even the Son - knows the day or hour this will happen. While only the Father knows that time, we do know that the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations (v. 10). Jesus gives an analogy likening His followers to the servants in charge of the master’s house while He is gone. “Therefore stay awake – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you asleep,” (vv. 35-36).
Jesus is not referring to a physical sleep, but rather to a spiritual stupor. We are instructed to stay awake, to stay alert. What could this mean for us as believers?
We have likely all been through dry spells in our faith – times when we have not been in communion with God; unconcerned about His will for our lives and in the lives of those around us. This happens primarily when we are on “autopilot.” Things are cruising along pretty well, and we don’t really need Jesus in our everyday lives. Then we hit some turbulence and find ourselves on our knees again, pleading with the Lord about our sudden trial. When those times of turbulence come into your life, take heed and take heart. The God who loves us and has called us His children is reminding us of our constant need of Him.
Prayer: Father, we are sorry for all of the times we have tried to walk alone, without your guidance and protection. Please lead us in the way of dependence on you, that we may see the love and provision that you long to show us.
Psalm of the Day: 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8.1-9)
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