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Be on Your Guard
Andrea Lende • September 9, 2020
Mark 13:27
Be on Your Guard – Watch
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Be-on-Your-Guard-ejck7q
Daily Word:
Mark 13:27
“And then He will send out the angels and will gather together His elect (those He has picked out for Himself) from the four winds, from the farthest bounds of the earth to the farthest bounds of heaven.”
All through time people have been predicting when the end of time will be.
However, Jesus said that even He did not know.
Only the Lord Himself knows when the end will come.
Jesus said that some of the things we are seeing right now are signs of just the beginning of the end.
I take comfort in the verse above and look forward to the end of the battle here on earth.
What do we do until that time?
In the Book of Mark, Jesus said the same thing over and over, “watch and pray”.
In fact, He says this four times in the last five verses of the thirteenth chapter of Mark.
He says to watch and be on our guard.
He talks about the man who leaves his house and gives the order to his workers to, “be constantly alert and on the watch”
for danger to the house.
Just as this man gives His people the order Jesus says, “watch (give strict attention, be cautious, active and alert)”.
As we see all the negativity and chaos around us, sometimes I find it easier to just make it through the day – numb out - and be thankful.
Thankful that it wasn’t worse.
Thankful that today I and my family are safe.
Thankful that I have shelter and food.
Thankful that this day hasn’t presented any new challenges that I may not be ready to face.
And yet the Lord says be vigilant, cautious, on our guard, and alert.
So, I pray that the Lord will help me do all these things.
I pray that He will strengthen me in all ways so that I am able to meet the challenges that are coming.
Pray that the Lord will give me Wisdom to handle these challenges.
And pray that the Lord will give me the energy to do as He asks and not shrink away or sleep when He wants me to be alert.
Today I choose to be strong in the Lord and ask for His help in all ways to meet the challenges of this day.
May you find that the Lord will strengthen you in every way and help you be on your guard during these most difficult times.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for strengthening me in every way to meet the challenges I must face. Keep me alert, cautious, and on my guard as these days are difficult. Only You know what these next days are to be and when You will bring a close to our world as we know it. May Your grace be upon all of us, Father. May Your mercy shower us as Your people. Help us be diligent in seeking You. Help us look to You before we look to the world and all its troubles. May You grant us Your peace, Lord. As so many are in turmoil, I ask that You cover us in peace. Help us come to one another’s aid and cover each other’s pain and suffering with kindness. May we give grace to one another, Lord. Put Your love in our hearts so that we love more deeply than we think we are capable of. Replace our hatred with Your love. Do what only You can do. Help us bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing our prayer.
Answer: I AM watching over all My people and strengthening each one as they have need.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and Almighty Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.