“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!”

Mark 13:32-37

—

This direct statement from Jesus is just as pressing now as it was when He first issued it to His disciples. We still do not know the day or the hour that He will return, and so our vigilance must be certain, it must be unbroken. Jesus tells us exactly what is expected of us, exactly what we need to do, 

“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.”

We are to do our work and be alert. It’s not complicated, but it does require our full effort. The attention of our hearts and minds are primarily to be on Christ’s kingdom and the work that He had given us to do. And that may mean that we don’t go straight into a vegetative state when we get home from work or school, but instead, we go serve others, we make an effort to reach out to those around us. It also means that while we are at work or school, that we use that time wisely to do the work of the kingdom. We plant seeds, we water others, we are very intentional about doing the work that God has given us to do. Again, this is not complicated. It is simply a matter of right priorities. Are we committed and vigilant? Are we doing the Master’s work or not? 

As Christians, our obedience is not optional, Jesus never gave us choices in regards to whether or not we do what He requires of us. We have been purchased by His blood. His will overrides our own. We do have choices in how we do His work, but not if we do His work. That is never up for grabs. 

And as a people saved by grace through faith from our sin and its consequences, we should thankfully, lovingly, joyfully undertake this effort for Him. Not as a way to repay Him, as if that were possible, but out of love and gratitude we remain vigilant, doing what is required of us. Again, not just out of a sense of duty, but from glad and sincere hearts. 

This is no cold enterprise that we have taken upon ourselves, but the best news anyone could ever hope to hear. This is love in action, and as we GoLove from the great love that has been given to us, we need to maintain that urgency and vigilance for the day’s task. Our first priority is what our Master has given us to do, and that is to carry out His commands.