BYM ONLINE DESK Jan 2019 Blessing E-magazine | Page 4

January 2019 | www.bymonline.org
Be Watchful!
D. Jason, Missionary, Blessing Youth Mission
Jesus warned his disciples to be watchful. Being
watchful means that we need to stay alert. After taking a
bath in the morning we feel fresh. When the sun shines, we
are active. But when the evening comes and when the light
fails, and when our body feels the pinch of tiredness of the
day, we fall asleep. Similarly, at the start of our spiritual
journey, we are fresh. We have passion and joy. But as the
years roll by, we lose the initial passion; the first love
wanes away. Reading the Bible and praying are no more
interesting. Our hearts gradually gather dirt and begin to
be filled with worldly worries and the fear of the future.
We start to live for today and forget about eternity.
Jesus warned His disciples to be alert on such
occasions. When the evening comes and when the dusk
falls, let us stay alert. As the Lord's Second Coming draws
near, God the Holy Spirit warns us to stay awake. A little
lethargy, a little carelessness, a little compromise, a little
slumber may cost even eternity.
In this article I want to write about six reasons why
we need to be watchful.
1. Unknown Hour
Mk 13:32-33 - “But concerning that day or that
hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the
Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you
do not know when the time will come.”
The Bible says that we cannot know the day or the
hour when the Lord Jesus Christ would come again. Our
Lord has given us sufficient signs for the last days and we
need to ascertain the times that we live in. Note the
following verse:
Mat 16:3 “You know how to interpret the
appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of
the times.”
Seeing the happenings around us and around the
world, any normal human would agree that something is
wrong with the world that we live in. Technology has
grown by leaps and bounds, and so has the crime rate.
Education and awareness is on the rise and so does the
suicide rate. There is something drastically wrong with the
society and its values in which we live. Natural calamities,
abnormal weather conditions, unrest among people are
some of the clear signs that point towards the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence by seeing these happenings,
the believer is expected to take warning and be on the alert.
The present times are not like yester years. The Devil
knows that he has got only a little time and therefore he
stays alert. But we are supposed to be more alert than our
enemy.
The Bible says that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief (2 Pet 3:10). The exact day and the time of the
Lord's coming are known only to the Father. And He is not
going to send us a preparatory message. His Coming will
be sudden and unexpected. Hence, we need to be alert
always. Let us learn to live with a perspective that this very
hour might be the final hour.
2. Unfavourable Times
2Ti 3:1-5 - “But understand this, that in the last days
there will come times of difficulty. For people will be
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