In my daily reading this morning I came across the word ‘watch’ in Mark 13:33: “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” The context is the return of Christ in power and glory (vs.26,27). We are to be….

Even though the context is the Tribulation Period in prophecy, in reality those of us who are saved and will meet Him in the air at the Rapture…..well, shouldn’t we be waiting and watching too? If we are madly in love with someone, seeing and being with that person becomes an intense desire and everything else in our life must fit in with that priority. The greater our love for Christ is, the more we will be watching and waiting for His return.

We are to be alert so we can read all the caution signs and warning signals to avoid temptations. We are to be diligent in maintaining our closeness to the Lord and on-guard against attacks from spiritual foes. Am I watching and waiting?

Older people use the quaint old expression ‘tip-toe of expectancy’ to describe our state of watchfulness for the Lord’s return. What does ‘tip-toe of expectancy’ mean? As a child, I vividly recall awaiting the return of my father who used to be away for long periods of time preaching the Gospel. I can remember standing on my tip toes straining every muscle and stretching my head with my nose pressing against the window, peering down the street, hoping to be the first to see dad turn the corner and drive up our street. I recall the excitement of seeing his car turn up our street and my sister and I tearing through the house to the back porch and actually pulling the curtain off the window to see dad in our driveway. We were ‘watching’ – not daydreaming. There was one thing on our mind – to feel the embrace of our father and to have him home again. Sure, his coming home gifts for me of Stanfield’s underwear or old men’s socks were a bonus – but in hindsight, ummm they weren’t really all that exciting. The real excitement was his arrival – just having him in the house and at our kitchen table. The enjoyment of his presence.

Am I anxiously awaiting Christ’s return today or am I doodling or daydreaming, pre-occupied or misbehaving? If I knew He was coming this week, my behaviour would be different. I would be on my best behaviour – behaving in a way that would please Him. I wouldn’t want to feel sheepish or embarrassed at His Coming. My slackness would be gone; my priorities would change and my thought-life (the things I spend alot of time thinking about) would be different. Well, the reality and truth of the Rapture is, He could come at any moment of any day. There is not one prophecy to be fulfilled before He comes to the air for believers. It will be sudden, swift, silent and secret.(1Thessalonians 4:13-18)

May the Lord help me to live this day as if today could be the day He comes for me. It might be!