ARE YOU READY FOR THE SURPIRSE WHEN IT COMES?

About two weeks ago Mary, my wife, came down with migraines which lead to her becoming very ill. The next morning I started to leave for work, when she started complaining of sever back pains. After a brief discussion I decided to stay home and take care of her. She called doctor who told her to go to the Labor/Delivery room and she would meet her there. Six hours later we left with a diagnosis of pre-labor start-ups. Two days later we went to the doctor for a normal check-up and Mary was put on bed rest. On Friday, March 26th, 2010, the doctor released Mary from bed rest. On Saturday March 27th, 2010 at 5:15 a.m. Mary woke me up saying that her water had broken. By 7:30 a.m. we were in Labor/Delivery and by 6:36 p.m. James Swaim entered the world. The point is that James was exactly one month early. He had captured Mary and me totally by surprise. His room was still being worked on; we still had one baby shower to go; I was still putting furniture together and the house was a wreck from Mary having been sick and me having taken a class at DBU. We were caught off guard.

Many would say that this is the way life works. But upon a deeper examination, some could argue that this is the way God Himself works. Scripture seems to bear this out. We could look at a variety of scriptures that display this thought.

From the Old Testament we could look in Genesis 12 at the call of Abraham. In Exodus 3 there is the sudden appearance of YAHWEH in the burning bush before Moses. Exodus 5 records the surprise return of Moses to Egypt. Joshua 1-5 tells of the shock of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan. It surprised King Saul and Israel that God chose David as the next king (1st Samuel 16). Nehemiah astonished Sanballet, Tobiah and Geshem with the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah). And this hits only the highlights in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament things do not work much different. In Matthew 1-2 Jesus Christ took the world by surprise by being born even thought it had been prophesied for close to six thousand years, starting in Genesis 3. Not only did His arrival amaze people but in Matthew 7:38 His authority did as well. In Matthew 26 His crucifixion startled he disciples. But the biggest surprise was His bodily resurrection which is recorded in Luke 24. What seems to be more amazing to His disciples was the ascension into Heaven some forty days latter in Acts 1.

Looking back on all of this we might say, “Yeah, I can see were that caught them by surprise, but that was then and this is now.” WAIT!! There is more! The apostle Paul wrote of “…the coming of the Lord…” (4:15) in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. In 5:2 he states that this day, “…will come just like a thief in the night.” In other words we (all of humanity, saved and unsaved) will be caught by surprised. I know that not everyone reading this believes as I do regarding the “coming of the Lord.” And quiet frankly I don’t care!!! Each theological argument regarding this moment in time has hermeneutical and historical issues which comes with it. So you can argue among yourselves. My point is this, regardless of your view; regardless of your theological thinking; regardless of your drum beating belief; when Jesus returns we will all be caught by surprise. The point of Scripture is that no matter how things play out, in the end we are to be faithful to Him, because He will return.

I am reminded of a story by Chuck Swindoll about a black elderly woman in a Mississippi town. Every week she would go to town to grocery shop. Every week she would be taunted by three young teenagers about her faith. One day they yelled out and asked her in a jesting manner, “Hey, are you ready for Jesus to return?” She quickly snapped back, “Boys! I’sa stays ready!”

That is the point in question: Do you stay ready? How ready are you for the day of reckoning? Will the great Judge of Eternity find you guilty in your sins or righteous through the work of His resurrected Son? Only you can answer.

Have a happy Resurrection Sunday and let me know what you think.

Steven Swaim
President of Be Devoted Ministries