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Advent Day 5

5. 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. 


This is a sobering reading - that Jesus will return again at an unknown time and date.  We could well be living in the last days, or even the very last day!  We are called to live as the people who are prepared for the return of our Messiah, our Saviour.

Imagine if you were told that Jesus was definitely coming to Earth on Sunday this weekend - would that change how you acted, either personally or spiritually?  Would you have more urgency in your actions?  Would you want to tell everyone about the work of God?

I can't promise that Jesus will return on any given date, but it could be today, tomorrow, or even this weekend!  Perhaps part of our Advent preparation should be to talk about Jesus with our loved ones, our friends, our neighbours - and make sure that they are ready for Jesus' return too!


Collect

Almighty God, Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.


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