by Tad Lindley
Recently I was talking with my good friend, and he said, “I always read your article every week.” Forgive me for having ego problems, but in my mind I reached around and patted myself on the back and said to myself, “Go, Dawg, go!”, but what he said next burst my bubble. “I always read it when I’m going to the bathroom. We keep the paper in there, so that’s where I read it.” Just when I was starting to feel good about him reading it every week, then the whole truth came out and brought me down a notch.
Where are you reading this?
All this time, I have envisioned people reading the paper while sitting at the table or maybe on the couch. I always imagine that they tell everyone in the house to be quiet, turn the radio and TV off, turn the squelch way up on the VHF, and put their cellular telephones on airplane mode, make a cup of tea and sit down so that they can devote their full attention to reading my column. My friend’s revelation has rocked my world. If they’re not reading it like I imagine, then where are people when they read my column? Since the Delta Discovery has been to every continent on earth, there are bound to be many unique places that my column has been read. Some must read it in the steam bath, and some in bed. Some perhaps at work, and others in the cab, maybe some even in an airplane.
Jesus asks “Where will you be?”
My question is where will people be when they are reading this newspaper, but Jesus’ focus was on where people would be at the time of his returning. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matthew 24:36-42) In Luke 17:34, he adds the fact that some will be asleep in bed.
Two “wheres”
Jesus names the physical locations that people will be at his returning, working in the field, grinding at the mill, and sleeping. Notice that he follows each physical location up with this statement the one shall be taken, and the other left. That is a statement about where the person is spiritually. The one who is taken, is the one who was living right before God. The one who is left, is the one who was not ready to meet Jesus. At the time of Jesus returning, it will not matter where our physical body is, whether it is at work, or whether it is in bed sleeping. When Jesus comes again all that will matter is where our soul is. Have we repented of our sins? (Luke 13:3,5) Have we been baptized in Jesus name? (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16) Have we been filled with the Holy Ghost? (Romans 8:11) Are we living a holy life? (Hebrews 12:14)
All my firearms lined up and ready to roll
Jesus went on to warn that he will come at a time that we do not expect it. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:43-44) Most of us, if we knew that someone was going to rob our house would be ready. Every gun would be loaded with a full magazine and one in the pipe. We would stay up all night waiting, so that when we heard the footsteps on the porch we would be ready. In fact we would probably have our friends there guarding the windows and the back door with their guns. But thieves never notify us, and Jesus said that we need to be ready at all times for his returning.
What if you had the inside scoop?
Let’s say that the Lord was going to return exactly 30 minutes from the time you set this newspaper down, and you got the inside scoop on it. After you got on the VHF and announced it to everybody, what would you do? I think most of us would gather in the family and say, “We need to throw ourselves on the mercy of God!” And then spend the remaining time calling on the Lord in prayer.
24 hours ago: where were you?
Think back to where you were and what you were doing exactly 24 hours ago from right now. If the Lord had returned exactly 24 hours ago, would you have been taken up with him? Or would you have been left behind, lost? If you know that you would have been lost if Jesus came yesterday, then today is the day to get right with God. Wherever your body is at this very moment as you read this, is unimportant. What is eternally important is where your soul is. Where will you be at the coming of the Lord?
Reverend Tad Lindley is a minister at the United Pentecostal Church in Bethel, Alaska.
