Daily Devotional
Will You Be Ready?
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17
May 5, 2022
Ponder This
In ancient weddings, the groom would take the initiative. He would go to the father of the bride’s house, negotiate for the bride, and pay a price for the bride. This was called the betrothal. The young man and woman would have a cup of wine over which a betrothal blessing had been given, and they would drink from that cup together. And then he would go back to his father’s house to prepare a place for her, and she would stay back and begin to prepare for the wedding. The groom would set the date for the wedding in conjunction with his father. Eventually, he would come with a torchlight parade, and there would be one who would go before him, shouting, “Behold, the bridegroom comes!” And the bride would gather her things and be ready.
And that’s what’s going to happen with Christ’s Church. We’re the bride of Christ, and we’re going to be in a secluded place with our Lord. Suddenly, perhaps before we even finish this day, there will be the shout and Jesus will return. Are you ready?
- How do passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 help us be ready for Jesus’ return?
- What does it look like to prepare yourself daily for Jesus’ return?
Practice This
Look over your schedule for the week. What would you do differently if you knew Jesus was coming back this week? Take action to align your life with this promised coming reality.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
