“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.” (Lk 21:8-9)
We do not know when our Lord, the King of the Universe, will return in glory to judge His people and take home those who have been faithful. All we know is that we must be ready.
That is the terrifying thing for so many people.
They are frightened that they will be “caught” unaware and unprepared.
And, rather than living daily the way that they are supposed to live, they ask the Lord for the signs that the end will take place, presumably, so that they can get themselves ready at the very last minute.
Imagine driving down a highway filled with exits. Every single exit is unmarked and every interchange, by and large, looks similar to the last. Could you imagine the anxiety that would take over as you drove down the road, trying to figure out which exit you needed to take for your destination.
You would most certainly call the people you planned on visiting and ask them for some visual clues so that you could find the proper exit.
Jesus told His people that there would be many times when it looked like the end was at hand but not to be fooled.
There will be a time.
It will take place.
We will not know, beforehand, that it will happen.
Therefore, we need to be prepared each day, each moment.
We need to be prepared this very second.
FAITH ACTION: Does the thought of the end frighten you? In quiet prayer this day, ask the Lord to keep you on the proper path.