King of Kings…

King of Kings

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert and pray! You do not know when that time will come…Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

Mark 13:32-37 NIV 

The account of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is one of the most beloved passages in the Bible, and for good reason! In it we learn some powerful truths about the characteristics of God through the character of the father—He is:

A. Generous (verse 12);
B. Kind to His Servants (verse 17);
C. Compassionate (verse 20a);
D. Willing to Risk His Social Reputation for His Children (verse 20b);
E. Quick to Forgive (verse 22);
F. Ready to Pursue Us When We Wander Off (verse 28b);
G. Always Available For/Present With Us (verse 31)

But here is the characteristic of God that I want to focus on for the purposes of today’s devotional: in Luke 15:20b, the father saw his son from a long way off, meaning that he would often pause and stare at the horizon, diligently gazing for any sign of his beloved child. 

1. The father had no way to “know” if his son was still alive, but he kept looking nonetheless and clung to hope;
2. The father was busy managing the other half of his estate, yet he made time to actively wait for his son’s return;
3. The father had no tangible proof his son would ever return, but the father had prepared to such an extent that a party could be planned on short notice should his hope ever be realized.

Do you see how this relates to today’s devotional?

A. In Mark 13 above, Jesus commands us to also keep hoping for His return even though we sometimes doubt;
B. In Mark 13 above, Jesus encourages us to continue to serve Him even though we have much that competes for our time;
C. In Mark 13 above, Jesus warns us to prepare for His return even though it seems as if He will never come back for us.

Someone has rightly said that “character is what you do when no one is looking.” My wife & I have paraphrased this for our children by teaching them that their behavior when we aren’t around to make sure they do the right thing reveals their true colors, shows whether they really are devoted to us or not, unveils who/what is most important to them.

The same is true regarding our relationship with God.

Thus, may we cling to hope that Jesus will return soon by treating the pleasures and problems of this life as temporary, patiently sharing and enduring them for His sake; may we “keep the main thing the main thing” by focusing on Jesus despite the distractions of this world; and may we get our houses in order by  faithfully surrendering our entire lives to Jesus and consistently sharing His Good News with all those we meet.

QUOTE

“Care more for others than some think is wise.
Risk more for God than some think is safe.
Dream more for His Kingdom than some think is practical.
Expect more from God than some think is possible.

I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience…There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him.” 

Karen Watson, killed for loving Jesus, Baghdad, Iraq, March 15, 2004

For Further Study:

-Micah 6:8 (How To Live)
-Luke 15:11-32 (Prodigal Son) 
-Luke 3:1-18 (Preparing)
-2 Peter 3:3-18 (More Prep)