April 7, 2023

Mark 13:32-37 (HCSB)
32 "Now concerning that day or hour no one knows-neither the angels in heaven nor the Son-except the Father.  33 Watch! Be alert! For you don't know when the time is [coming].  34 It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his slaves, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 35 Therefore be alert, since you don't know when the master of the house is coming-whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. 36 Otherwise, he might come suddenly and find you sleeping.  37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!"

Sarah Ricciardi
We repeat what we want to remember. “Be alert” Jesus commands repeatedly. Whether it’s with our girls or the youth group, a reminder I constantly issue is, “Be aware.” It’s so easy to become immersed in our own head space or best friend conversation that we don’t see reality—that car backing out of a parking space, the wheelchaired man navigating the crowds, the quiet teenager. Jesus’ command has more intensity than mine, however. It would be like me saying, “Watch Out!” in my momma tone. How do we live lives in full Jesus-driven alert mode? The world screams at us in a million ways, distracting us from the precious, dislodging us from Truth and drowning us in busy. Jesus has given us a formula in this chapter: WORSHIP God alone. TRUST the Holy Spirit. PRAY. REMEMBER who God IS and that He has given you authority (verse 34). And we take it one expectant day at a time.