“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected” (Matt 24:44; NLT). Jesus gave this exhortation after talking to His disciples about the end times. What did He want them to be ready for? The second coming of Jesus. Mark chapter 13 also deals with the end times and ends with the following words of Jesus, “And what I say to you, I say to all: watch!” (Mark 13:37; NKJV). (See also the parable of the 10 virgins in Matt 25:1-13). Paul confirms this in 1 Thess 5:2, when he says that the return of Jesus will be unexpected, “like a thief in the night.”

From these passages we learn that we must be ready and prepared for the second coming. We should be thinking about it and be joyfully expectant, constantly reminding ourselves that it could happen any day. We don’t know when exactly because only God the Father knows that (Matt 24:36) but we do know that it will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:52; AMP). Peter cautions us that as we wait for the return of Jesus, we should be doing our best to live lives that are above reproach (2 Peter 3:14).

The hope of eternity with Jesus should motivate us all our days because the book of Revelation tells us a little bit of what we have to look forward to. We will see God face to face, (Rev 22:4), we will drink from the fountain of living water (Rev 21:6b), there will be no more sin, sickness, death, sorrow, crying or pain (Rev 21:3-4) and we will reign with God forever! (Rev 22:5). Now that’s something to shout about!