Left Behind! (Mark 13)
Mark 13.33-36 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning - lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. [nkjv]
In August 2008 a four-year-old Israeli girl was left behind at Ben Gurion International Airport at Tel-Aviv as her mother, father and four siblings rushed to catch a flight to Paris. The ultra-Orthodox family of seven, who between them had 18 suitcases, were in a hurry not to miss their flight and in their haste failed to notice that only six of them had actually boarded the plane. The girl was found crying and wandering around the departures hall by a police officer. It was too late to stop the plane as it had already left the terminal. As the aircraft gained height, the girl’s parents suffered the crushing embarrassment of being told by the pilot that their family was one short. They had apparently still not realised. There was a happy ending to the story as the little girl was put on the next flight to Paris, accompanied by a flight attendant. The forgetful parents were questioned by authorities upon their return home.
In August 2008 a four-year-old Israeli girl was left behind at Ben Gurion International Airport at Tel-Aviv as her mother, father and four siblings rushed to catch a flight to Paris. The ultra-Orthodox family of seven, who between them had 18 suitcases, were in a hurry not to miss their flight and in their haste failed to notice that only six of them had actually boarded the plane. The girl was found crying and wandering around the departures hall by a police officer. It was too late to stop the plane as it had already left the terminal. As the aircraft gained height, the girl’s parents suffered the crushing embarrassment of being told by the pilot that their family was one short. They had apparently still not realised. There was a happy ending to the story as the little girl was put on the next flight to Paris, accompanied by a flight attendant. The forgetful parents were questioned by authorities upon their return home.
There is an event on the Christian calendar which is shrouded in mystery. No one knows exactly when it will take place or what it will look like but it is getting closer day by day. I am talking about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a child in the late 70's and early 80's I can remember hearing preachers talk a lot about the return of Jesus. Planes falling out of the sky. The mark of the beast. Earthquakes. Famine. Disease. Persecution. The Rapture. It sent chills up my spine.
I remember coming home one day from school to find no one at home. There were no notes, no phone messages, just a freshly made cup of coffee on the table and no one around. The words of Larry Norman's song, "I wish we'd all been ready," came echoing back to me. One line in particular screamed loudly around in my head, "there's no time to change your mind, the Son has come and you've been left behind."
I panicked! Immediately I began phoning every person I could think of who I was certain was a better Christian than me, the only problem was no one was answering their phone!
Just as I was about to fall in a heap on the floor and plead with God for a second chance, I heard the familiar sound of my parent's combi van coming up the driveway.
Despite my misguided fears, there is going to come a day when Jesus will return like He said He would. To each of us His servants, He has left us with the responsibility for His house, given us His authority, and commissioned us with work to do. When He returns I am sure He will want to see just how faithful we have been with these in His absence.
My Dad had a very simple philispohy on end times. "Plan as though Jesus is never coming back but live like He is coming back this very minute."
I wonder what Jesus will find me doing when He returns?
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