Salvation | October 9
“… as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.
Remember Lot’s wife.
Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.
Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.
Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”
Luke 17:26-37
Jesus, You teach us that it will be business as usual on the day that You take your saints to Your side. You also teach us that wherever we are in our relationship with You, on that day, that will be the basis upon which we are judged. If we choose to disobey You, as Lot’s wife did, Your judgment will be rendered and it will all happen in the twinkling of an eye.
Jesus, it is also clear, from this teaching, that some will look back, trying to hold on to that which they have accumulated here. You tell us that trying to hold on to earthly treasures, earthly relationships, is a mistake. Our eyes, at that moment, must turn to You. You teach us that we must immediately recognize what is happening and that we must look only to You and cling to You, not our earthly circumstances.
Jesus, we will be very frightened when the moment of Your arrival signals our departure from all that we have known and experienced. Our faith will be severely tested, due to our lack of understanding, our inability to grasp what is happening. Help us in that moment to know that You have called us to Your side and that our eternity with You is at hand.
Jesus, we still have time to sort all of this out by turning from sin, studying Your word and praying for discernment. We know we will never succeed in grasping the entire scope of this without the power and clarity of the Holy Spirit in us. That is what we pray for today, Jesus, is more of You in our lives. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project
