Thurs.’s Devo - Stay Awake

Read: Deuteronomy 32:28-52; Luke 12:35-59; Psalm 78:56-64; Proverbs 12:24 Moses’ song continues. It is really God’s song for his people. He warned them of one of their enemy putting a thousand of them to flight because God had sold them out. Their only strength came from God but when they abandoned him they were food for the vultures. But God would remember everything their enemy did to them and take revenge at the right time. God would bring justice to his people when they repented. Moses instructed the people to pass the song on to their children and obey every word of it. God told Moses to go up on Mount Nebo and there he would be able to see the land of Canaan. He would die on that mountain and join his ancestors in Sheol just as Aaron died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors in Sheol. In Luke, Jesus is talking into the future about those that are alive after the Rapture - after the Wedding. The people of that day will not know when Jesus will return. They will need to be always dressed for service and have their lamps burning. In other words, they will need to be awake spiritually at all times and be full of the Holy Spirit. Jesus refers to his second coming like the thief that will come when least expected. In 1Thessalonians 5:4 it says, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. you are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” It goes on to say in the ninth verse that God has not appointee us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter asked if that illustration was just for them or for everyone. Jesus answered that a faithful servant would take good care over the ones he is over. If he gets weary in well doing and thinks Jesus is never coming back and gets sloppy and begins beating those he stewards and parties, then he will be banished with the unfaithful. Those people will be judged or rewarded by whether they stewarded what was given to them. Jesus came to set the world on fire which would come through his suffering and death. His gospel would not bring peace but division. People would have to make a decision; they would not be able to straddle the fence. His last parable was to get them to settle their accounts with the Lord before he came back. Get right with the Lord now. Lord, help us to take that same warning in our lives. Help us to set our house in order and walk in truth.