Covenant Devotional #7 - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

"Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 ESV)

Home is the place where they keep the porch light on for you. Where, even when you roll in late after a long time away, you know you'll find a plate wrapped in tin foil on the kitchen counter garnished with a hand written note. While it's true that "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.", that's the difference between a thief and a son: both may slip across the threshold well after midnight and as quietly as possible, but one has dinner waiting for him.

Jesus knows it's going to be quite a shock to creation when he finally returns - as the unveiled Lord of creation - to set things to rights. To a great many people, that moment couldn't come as more of a surprise. But he is not concerned about those whom he has called and whom he has known. Whenever it is that his journey brings him back across the threshold of our world, he knows that we'll be waiting, as we would for anyone whom we have loved and long expected.

Lord Jesus, we wait for you. May our lives be a table set in patient expectation for your coming.