But about this day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father…Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Matthew 24:36, 42, 44

My husband travels for work. He usually leaves on Mondays and returns early Friday afternoons. He keeps me informed of his itinerary regularly.

Some weeks I do really well with time management. I complete certain tasks on certain days. Then there are those weeks I piddle around not really accomplishing anything. With his return day in mind, I feel like I have plenty of time and put things off until the last minute.

Then, that sense of urgency hits me. I only have a certain amount of time until he comes home and I fly into action. Heart racing, clock ticking, I try to accomplish a whole week’s tasks in a matter of a few hours.

Jesus said he would return. We do not know when that day or hour will come. This knowledge should give us a sense of urgency. Are we accomplishing what he put us on this earth to accomplish? Are we sharing him with others? Do we feel the urgency of doing it?

When my husband leaves town, his physical presence is not with me. We can reach each other by phone, but we are not together.

Fortunately, for us as believers when Jesus’s physical presence left this earth, his Holy Spirit came upon those who believe in him. He did not leave us alone. Thank goodness, we do not have to do this life or eternal life by ourselves.

Father, knowing you will return gives our lives focus and meaning. It opens our spiritual eyes for opportunities to share you with others and to be examples of your light in this world. Thank you for this sense of urgency.

Susan Partida